Moscow Clarifies Status of Russian Naval Base Agreement in Sudan

Russian Ambassador to Sudan Andrei Chernovol has said that there are no new developments regarding the planned establishment of a Russian naval base on Sudanese territory.

Speaking to the Russian news agency TASS, Chernovol explained that information published by The Wall Street Journal on Monday—claiming that Sudan had offered Russia an opportunity to set up a naval base—refers to discussions and documents dating back to 2020.

He noted that the agreement signed at that time remains publicly available and still requires formal ratification. Chernovol added: “At this stage, everything is on hold, and no progress has been made in this regard yet. At least, I am not aware of anything. Therefore, any talk of something new here is, at the very least, premature.”

An agreement to establish a Russian naval logistics support facility in Sudan was first announced in early December 2020. Under the plans, the facility would be used for repairs, resupply operations, and crew rest for Russian naval personnel.

Former Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Youssef Sharif, following talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in February 2025, stated that the two sides had “agreed on everything” regarding the agreement on the Russian naval base.