Flying pots: Belarusian cookware factory supplies drones to Russia — DW*

Gomel-based Santex Plant, specializing in the production of tableware, supplies the Russian army with drones and components for drones. This is reported by DW* with reference to the investigation of the Belarusian Investigative Center and Cyber Partisans.

"The company supplies Chinese drones, as well as goods, the nature of which is not disclosed in the documents, to Rustact, one of the main manufacturers of FPV drones in the Russian Federation, the amount of contracts exceeded 14 billion rubles, the investigation says. Pavel Nikitin, a native of Minsk, owns 95% of Rustakt, journalists say. According to investigators, he is also listed as one of the owners of the Belarusian Santex Plant," the DW* Main telegram channel writes.

In total, according to the "investigators", from 2022 to 2025, 14 Belarusian companies sold to Russia has over 20 thousand UAVs worth $ 34 million. After the imposition of sanctions against Moscow, Nikitin also supplied Western components from the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland and the USA to Russia through the Santex Plant, the publication says.

It should be noted that Gomel "Santex Plant" produces, in particular, pots, baking pans and washing pans.

*An organization performing the functions of a foreign agent