The Gomel-based Santex plant is used as an intermediary for the supply of combat drones to Russia.
The Gomel enamelware factory "Santex," which at first glance is engaged in the production of peaceful pots and trash cans, has turned out to be an intermediary in the supply of combat drones to the Russian Federation. Journalists from the Belarusian Investigative Center in their new investigation found out that Chinese DJI drones were supplied through the factory, which then ended up in Russian military structures, including in the production of VT-40 kamikaze drones ("Sudoplat") for the Russian army.
According to documents obtained by journalists, in 2022-2023 alone, Santex sold 309 drones to Russia for about $2 million. The company cooperated with two Russian firms - Santros LLC and Rustakt LLC. The latter is a leading manufacturer of combat FPV drones for Russian law enforcement agencies and is managed by Pavel Nikitin, a native of Belarus, who owns a majority stake in the company.
Rustakt is known as the manufacturer of the main combat drones for the elite Rubicon Center, which participates in Russian offensive operations in Ukraine. According to the publication, purchases of electric motors and components for FPV drones from Chinese suppliers in 2023-2025 alone amounted to more than $323 million, which allows assembling hundreds of thousands of copters.
The total amount of supplies to Russian law enforcement agencies in 2023-2024, including equipment from Santex, exceeded $1.1 billion. The list of payers includes military unit 45807, the 18th Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, the Narodny Front. Everything for Victory charitable foundation and the Obukhov Plant research and production association.
BRC also found out that Pavel Nikitin was born in Minsk, but moved to Russia in the 2000s, remaining the owner of several Belarusian firms, including the Santex plant in Gomel. His brother Yegor, who at the time of the investigation still had Belarusian citizenship, was also a co-owner of the plant. Both declined to comment on their activities to journalists.
The investigation shows that Belarusian companies have been acting as channels for circumventing sanctions on supplies to Russia since the first day of the war in Ukraine. In total, 14 Belarusian firms sold more than 20,000 drones worth a total of $34 million to Russian law enforcement agencies in 2022-2025.
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