Sudan and Russia Finalize Naval Base Agreement

[C0RI0LANUS]

Yasen-class nuclear submarine in Havana, Cuba.

In a joint press conference. Khartoum and Moscow are in full agreement on establishing a Russian naval base in Sudan. The agreement for constructing the naval facility in Port Sudan was initially signed in 2020, with discussions starting as early as 2017.

The base is intended to host up to four Russian ships and no more than 300 personnel. The agreement faced delays due to the fall of President Omar al-Bashir's regime, which was replaced by military rule. The nation witnessed coups in 2019 and 2021. Additionally, reports from Dec 2024 indicated Sudan's refusal to host the Russian base.

Bloomberg reported, citing sources within Sudanese intelligence, Russia offered Sudan an advanced S-400 surface-to-air missile system to seal the deal.

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Aid organizations have said Sudan is the scene of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with the largest internally displaced population and fears that famine has broken out in parts of the country.

The civil war that started in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) further complicated relations between Russia and Sudan, as the Wagner group threw its weight behind the RSF while the Kremlin appeared to back the Sudanese army.

With the US pulling out of Africa, expect China and Russia to fill the void, expanding their influence and power bases. This appears to be a small base for Russian naval operations, but anything is better than nothing. After the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the fate of Russia's air and naval base in Syria is still up in the air. If the Kremlin offered Sudan an advanced air defense weapon to "seal the deal," that may be a sign of urgency on their part to secure something on the African continent.


Sources:

https://uawire.org/sudan-and-russia-finalize-naval-base-agreement

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/13/sudan-first-russian-naval-base-in-africa-go-ahead

https://www.dw.com/en/fate-of-russian-military-bases-in-syria-remains-open/a-71027207