The Gomel-based dishware factory Santeks, according to materials from the BRC investigation published on December 4, supplies unmanned aerial systems to the Russian army using sanctions-evasion schemes.
According to customs documents for 2022–2023, Santeks shipped 309 drones of the Chinese company DJI to Russia for a total of about $2 million.
The customers were the Russian companies “Santros” and “Rustakt,” among whom the co-owner is Minsk-born Pavlo Nikitin.
Key Participants and Companies
According to BRC data, from 2022 to 2025, 14 Belarusian companies sold to Russia more than 20,000 drones for a total of $34 million.
“Rustakt” made 135 payments to the Belarusian plant totaling over 14 billion rubles (over $152 million) for equipment that does not have a clear description.
“Rustakt” produces PVC-1 kamikaze drones (also known as VT-40 or ‘Sudoplat’ under the ‘Doomsday’ project). To assemble them, various electronic components are required, which the Russian authorities import in ways that circumvent sanctions.
Product Characteristics and Sanctions Evasion
According to BRC’s financial assessment over three years, the company purchased from three Chinese firms 1.3 million lithium-ion batteries, 5.5 million parts for radio-controlled models, and nearly 3.5 million electric motors for a total of around $90 million – enough to assemble about 870,000 drones.
Rustakt spent about $323 million on these purchases.
Financial Volumes and Contracts with Russia
In 2023–2024 the company secured contracts with Russian military structures totaling $1.12 billion, including Military Unit 45807. According to the publication, this unit is responsible for military security and financial support for operations of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU).
Such data indicate close cooperation between Belarusian manufacturers and Russian structures and rising risks of sanctions evasion in the military-technical sector.