Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Tianjin to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. On the sidelines of the forum, he plans to meet with several key leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Through official representatives, the Kremlin made it clear that despite discussions of potential diplomatic initiatives, Russia does not intend to make concessions regarding control over the territories it has seized in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, military tensions sharply escalated during the visit. Ukraine carried out drone strikes on oil refineries in Russia’s Krasnodar region and in Syzran. Moscow, in turn, struck Ukrainian port infrastructure.

Putin’s visit to China is meant to underscore that Moscow remains an active player on the international stage, despite Western sanctions and isolation. However, the parallel drone attacks from both sides show that peace signals remain rhetorical, while the reality is the continuation of war.

Russia and China are using the summit to promote the idea of a “multipolar world”, positioning it in contrast to the influence of the US and the EU. The involvement of the Indian factor (Modi) could add weight to the initiative, but the question remains whether New Delhi will be willing to engage actively in discussing the Ukrainian crisis.

The large-scale drone attacks and retaliatory strikes confirm that drones are becoming the primary instrument of pressure, enabling strikes on critical infrastructure without direct incursions. This heightens the unpredictability of the conflict.

Strikes on Russian oil refineries directly impact the energy sector – one of the country’s last stable sources of budget revenue. At the same time, Moscow’s dependence on China is growing, which could lead to an imbalance in bilateral relations.

Thus, for Putin, the SCO summit is an attempt to demonstrate that Russia is not isolated and is open to negotiations in friendly formats. But the actual dynamics of the war suggest the opposite: hostilities are intensifying, and the prospects for a peaceful settlement remain highly uncertain.

#RUSSIA

31.08.2025 12:25