Sudan Tables Explosive 25-Year Red Sea Warship Stronghold Pact for Russia in Swap for Powerful Armaments

Sudan’s ruling military junta has reportedly extended a sweeping 25-year strategic pact to Russia, granting Moscow the green light to set up a naval stronghold along the Red Sea shoreline in return for sophisticated weaponry, The Moscow Times reported on December 1.

According to details relayed by Sudanese authorities to The Wall Street Journal and echoed by The Moscow Times, the blueprint would authorize Russia to deploy roughly 300 military specialists and anchor up to four naval vessels—potentially including nuclear-powered warships—at a newly constructed outpost to be established either in Port Sudan or another yet-to-be-revealed coastal site.

From a base in Port Sudan, Russian forces would secure a commanding vantage point over maritime traffic flowing toward and away from the Suez Canal—one of the world’s most vital shipping arteries, linking Europe and Asia and carrying an estimated 12% of global commerce.

The proposal forwarded to Moscow in October also offers the Kremlin access to lucrative mining concessions within Sudan, which The Moscow Times identifies as Africa’s third-largest gold-producing nation.

In exchange for long-term operational rights on Sudanese soil, Russia is expected to furnish Khartoum’s embattled command with advanced air-defense systems and other high-grade armaments at discounted rates—weaponry the military leadership urgently seeks as it wages a brutal struggle against the Rapid Support Forces insurgency, officials familiar with the talks told the paper.

The report further notes that Moscow has been attempting to cement a permanent presence in Port Sudan for nearly half a decade, culminating in a 2020 bilateral accord authorizing a Russian naval logistics hub capable of hosting four warships and 300 personnel, as well as enabling the deployment of Russian air defense, electronic warfare gear, and other military assets.

Earlier accounts also indicate that Sudan revived discussions with Moscow to acquire Su-30 or Su-35 fighter aircraft—part of a broader geopolitical trade-off that could finally secure Russia the Red Sea naval foothold it has long sought.

Source: Araba Sey