Russia has revealed what it claims is the largest drone production facility in the world. Located in a highly secretive complex in Yelabuga, Tatarstan, it employs teenagers to help build lethal kamikaze drones used in strikes on Ukraine. Footage broadcast by the Russian military’s Zvezda TV channel shows rows of Gen-2 drones lined up inside the plant, ready to be deployed. The unnamed aerial vehicles are Russian-made versions of Iran’s Shahed-136 and have been used in deadly attacks on Ukrainian cities. Their black matte paint is designed to reduce visibility during night-time missions and evade air defence detection. The Alabuga plant is more than 1,000 kilometres from Ukraine’s border and is part of a state-run special economic zone. The director has proudly stated that the production numbers have surpassed what they initially expected. Some reports indicate that around 18,000 units were manufactured in just the first half of 2025 alone. It has been reported that young teenagers attending the nearby Alabuga Polytechnic College are being taught weapons manufacturing skills starting at the ages of 14 or 15. Once they complete their education, many transition directly to the factory floor to join the assembly line. Footage shows these teenagers working on components, programming drones, and carrying out testing tasks, their faces blurred to conceal identities. Critics argue that this signifies a troubling militarization of education, where youths are being conditioned for careers in the defense industry and are directly contributing to a harsh conflict. Reports from Russian media and leaked testimonies reveal that students are subjected to long working hours, sometimes without breaks, and are paid modest wages of about $335 to $445 per month. Contracts ban them from speaking about their work and impose severe financial penalties of up to $22,000 for violations. Families who resist or refuse participation can be forced to repay thousands of dollars in training costs, with surveillance reportedly used to enforce compliance. The drones produced at Alabuga have a range of up to 1,800 kilometres and are equipped with warheads capable of inflicting widespread destruction. Although Russia insists its drone strikes only target military sites, Ukraine and international observers accuse Moscow of using them to terrorise civilians. Kyiv has repeatedly reported drone attacks on residential areas, including the capital, where people take cover in underground shelters during nightly bombardments. The factory has also been linked to high-profile drone launches using repurposed American pickup trucks, which have been filmed carrying and firing the Geran-2. Russian state media showcased this as part of a broader campaign to boost public support for the war effort. President Vladimir Putin has called for an urgent increase in drone production, claiming more than 1.5 million unmanned systems were built last year. It is not the first time there has been news of children being used in Russia’s war. Last month, Georgetown University published that thousands of children abducted from Ukrainian villages were being forcibly turned into soldiers.