Sudan offers a Russian naval base in Africa.
The American newspaper, citing its sources, claimed that Sudan proposed a 25-year agreement with Russia in October this year. According to the agreement, Moscow will have the right to station up to 300 troops and up to four ships in the port of Port Sudan or another location on the Red Sea.
The Wall Street Journal added that in exchange for permission to use the base, Russia is expected to provide Sudan with advanced Russian anti-aircraft systems and other weapons at a discount. The American newspaper continued: The base will be established in an unprecedented location overlooking vital Red Sea trade routes.
The report stated that as part of the 25-year agreement, Russia will also be provided with access to lucrative mining concessions in Sudan, Africa’s third-largest gold producer.
The Wall Street Journal further wrote: If a final agreement is reached in this regard, it will be ‘a strategic advantage for Moscow’ and ‘a worrying development for the United States’ that seeks to prevent Russia and China from controlling African ports.
An unnamed Sudanese military official told the publication that Sudan needs new weapons equipment.
According to IRNA, Russian officials have not yet commented on the veracity or inaccuracy of the report.
The Russian news agency R.B.K. also wrote about this: In 2020, Russia and Sudan announced their agreement to sign an intergovernmental agreement, within the framework of which Sudan agreed to establish and deploy a Russian naval logistics base on its territory. According to the Russian media, such plans were under consideration before the events of 2019 in Sudan, but negotiations were suspended after internal developments in the country.
In February 2025 (Bahman-Esfand 1403), the then Foreign Minister of Sudan, Ali Yusuf Ahmed Al-Sharif, said: “The parties have reached a mutual understanding regarding the establishment of this base.” On the other hand, Andrey Chernovol, the Russian Ambassador to Sudan, stated in November 2025 (Aban-Azar 1404): “Given the internal military conflict in Sudan, progress on this issue has currently been halted.”