Ukraine returns to strike deeply at Russian military supplies with its attack drones: according to a source from the SBU, Kiev’s security service, kamikaze drones attacked the largest Russian explosives factory at night, the Sverdlov plant in Dzerzhynsk, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, 900 km from the Ukrainian border. Sverdlov is among the largest Russian producers of military explosives, so much so that it is the subject of sanctions by the United States and the EU: in fact, the factory produces explosives, missiles, artillery shells and aviation bombs, including the fearsome Kab, which since February 2022 they have been raining from the skies across Ukraine. «The drones hit,” the Ukrainian source saidclaiming the success of the attack without specifying the damage.
For its part, Moscow confirmed that Ukrainian drones targeted the area, but maintained that the raid was foiled: “Air defense and electronic warfare repelled a drone attack on the territory,” said Gleb Nikitin, governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region. “Four employees of the fire station, located on the territory of the industrial enterprise, were slightly injured by the shrapnel,” he added. In total, the Russian Defense Ministry said it shot down 110 drones overnight in several regions, including one over Moscow. Russian aviation authorities also said they temporarily closed Kazan airport, about 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, on Sunday morning for security reasons. The Rosaviatsia agency did not specify the reason for the suspension of flights, but such restrictions are usually imposed when Ukrainian drone attacks are reported.
Right in Kazan, the Russian president Vladimir Putin will bring together around twenty foreign leaders for the Brics summit from 22 to 24 October. A summit with which the Tsar aims to demonstrate the failure of Western efforts to isolate him: the meeting represents in fact a clear affront to the sanctions against Russia and a demonstration of diplomatic strength, while the West will carefully observe the summit to weigh the current balance geopolitical. By bringing together “the south and the east of the world”, the Brics must “build brick by brick a bridge towards a more just world order”, is the message launched by the Kremlin’s diplomatic advisor Yuri Ushakov. According to the Russian presidency – which speaks of the meeting as “the largest diplomatic event ever organized in Russia” – among the leaders present there will also be the UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres. The Iranian president is expected Massoud Pezeshkian and also the Chinese leader Xi Jinping, while Western accusations continue against Beijing of supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine: «China is a decisive supporter of Russia in the war», attacked the secretary general of NATO, Mark Rutte, stressing that the Alliance must “keep its eyes open” but also pursue a dialogue with the Dragon.
Moscow is also counting on the presence of the Indian Narendra Modi and Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while the Brazilian president Lula will participate via video conference. The Serbian president is undecided Aleksandar Vucicwho a few days ago underlined that whatever decision he takes in this regard, he will still be criticized: «If I go to Kazan they will say that it is the end of Serbia’s European path, but if I don’t go they will say that I betrayed the Russians». Meanwhile, the Serbian leader had a telephone conversation with Putin on Sunday, his first in two and a half years. “A long, good, open conversation”, reported Vucic, confirming that “Serbia will not impose sanctions on the Russian Federation”. However, the absence in Kazan of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited Brussels this month, has caused a lot of discussion. week. The defection from the Russian summit has in fact fueled speculation about possible disagreements between Riyadh and Moscow, world energy heavyweights.