Mysterious Russian Cargo Plane’s flight route to Port Sudan raises suspicions of military missions

 Recently, air tracking data has revealed information regarding the unusual flight route of a Russian Ilyushin Il-76TD Cargo Plane, which promptly invoked widespread suspicions after it flew through five countries, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, before landing at Port Sudan International Airport in mid-September.

The cargo plane, operated by GelixAirlines, a company linked to Russian government cargo operations, departed Moscow on (September 10th) for Ulyanovsk, where it made a more than 12-hour stop at Vostochny Airport, known for its role in shipping defense equipment. It then continued its journey to Riyadh, then Entebbe, Uganda, before landing at East ‘Uwaynat Military Base in Egypt. The plane concluded its route in Port Sudan with a short landing, followed by a takeoff to Jeddah.

Analysts believe this non-commercial route suggests the flight was linked to Russian military or security missions for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Port Sudan.

These developments come amidst incessant reports regarding the activity of the Russian group, Africa Cops -formerly known as Wagner Group- near the Sudanese border on behalf of the Sudanese Army.

Rather simultaneously, Moscow hosted the first meeting of the Sudanese-Russian Ministerial Committee for Trade and Economy since the outbreak of the war in (April 2023). The meeting was attended by the Minister of Minerals for the Port Sudan Authority, Nour el-Daim, and his Russian counterpart, Alexander Kozlov. This particular development was considered an indication of the revitalization of economic relations despite the complex situation on the ground.

Experts believe that the aforementioned events reflect a clear intertwining of military and economic activities, and confirms that Sudan has become a central arena for international influence, where Russian and regional interests intersect amidst the ongoing war that has lasted for more than two years.