Drone attacks disrupt Russian naval ambitions in Port Sudan
Since early May, Port Sudan has been hit by a series of intensive drone strikes, primarily targeting critical infrastructure—believed to be the work of insurgents affiliated with the "Rapid Support Forces" (RSF). Among the sites hit are crucial fuel depots, power stations, and notably, the city's airport. One significant target has been the Russian naval base dubbed "Flamingo," which is currently under construction along the coast of the Red Sea, reports Russian Telegram channel Rybar.
Satellite imagery, released on May 11 by analyst Rich Tedd, further underscored the severity of the strikes, showing several structures on the base’s grounds destroyed.
The establishment of a Russian naval foothold in Port Sudan dates back to negotiations that commenced in 2017. By 2020, Russia and Sudan had inked an agreement allowing the placement of up to four Russian naval vessels and around 300 military personnel on Sudanese soil for an initial period of 25 years—an agreement that includes a Material-Technical Support Point (MTO). Provisions were made for importing a variety of military hardware, yet domestic political upheaval has stalled ratification. Sudan’s political instability, highlighted by the 2019 ousting of President Omar al-Bashir and subsequent military coups in 2019 and 2021, has left the project's future hanging in the balance.
Come December 2024, reports from Bloomberg unearthed Sudan’s outright refusal to host the Russian base, even after Russia’s more enticing proposal to supply the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system. Sudanese intelligence suggests cautionary tact factoring in possible backlash from the US and other Western nations played a significant role.
Russia has sustained a palpable presence in Sudan through Private Military Companies (PMCs), chiefly since 2017. Wagner PMC, closely linked to the Kremlin, has deployed operatives to assert control, evident in the security protection extended to lucrative ventures, most notably gold extraction. A 2022 investigation by OCCRP and Le Monde revealed Meroe Gold, linked to Wagner supremo Yevgeny Prigozhin, routed substantial sums into Aswar Multi Activities – a Sudanese agency tied to military intelligence – securing Russian-favored terms in gold mining and arms deals.
The plot thickened in January 2024, as the Kyiv Post exposed footage purportedly depicting Wagner operatives snared by Ukrainian military intelligence in Sudan, showcasing drone strikes on Russian hardware—attributed by some to Ukrainian forces covertly aiding regime adversaries in Khartoum.
Port Sudan's tumultuous air campaign, buoyed by the UAE-backed RSF, casts a shadow over Russian aspirations in the region. With strikes on Russian-aligned installations intensifying, the broader strategy cementing Moscow’s military outpost on the Red Sea progressively appears on the brink of collapse.