Russia Quietly Using Forced Labor Again

BRICS may be quietly enabling forced labor in Russia, posing a significant threat to global human rights standards.

Story Highlights

Russia’s use of forced labor is facilitated by BRICS economic ties.
BRICS helps Russia circumvent Western sanctions through trade and financial systems.
The bloc’s internal diversity complicates its collective stance on Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
BRICS expansion could further embed forced labor in global supply chains.

Russia’s Strategy with BRICS

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has strategically pivoted towards BRICS to counteract Western sanctions. The bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, provides Russia with markets, technology, and financial systems that help sustain its war economy. This alignment allows Russia to bypass sanctions and continue its military operations by leveraging BRICS for trade and investment channels.

Within this strategy, Russia’s growing use of coerced labor, including prisoners and mobilized civilians, is a critical aspect. The forced labor outputs are integrated into BRICS-mediated trade systems, thereby normalizing and monetizing these practices. This dynamic raises significant concerns about the erosion of human rights and labor standards globally, as BRICS provides diplomatic cover and weak labor-rights scrutiny.

Internal Dynamics and Global Implications

BRICS members display a spectrum of motivations and allegiances, complicating a unified response to Russia’s actions. While China and Russia share similar anti-Western sentiments, other members like India, Brazil, and South Africa prioritize strategic autonomy and economic benefits, avoiding overt alignment with Russia. This diversity within the bloc creates internal tensions, particularly regarding the Ukraine conflict.

The recent expansion of BRICS to include nations like Saudi Arabia and Indonesia further amplifies its influence in energy and logistics, presenting Russia with new opportunities to embed forced labor into global supply chains. This raises the stakes for international norms on labor rights, as these developments could institutionalize exploitative practices without sufficient accountability frameworks.

Potential Long-Term Effects

As BRICS continues to develop alternative financial and trade systems independent of Western influence, the potential for these platforms to undermine the global economic order grows. The shift away from a dollar-centric system could weaken Western leverage, particularly if new systems lack rigorous labor and human rights safeguards.

For Russia, the sustained economic integration with BRICS offers a lifeline for its war economy, reducing the effectiveness of Western sanctions. This scenario presents a significant challenge to countries like Ukraine, which continues to face a prolonged conflict fueled by Russia’s access to resources and markets through BRICS partnerships.