Rebels in Sudan down cargo plane, Russians possibly onboard
Illustrative photo: In Sudan, rebels shot down a cargo plane, with Russians on board (Getty Images)
In Sudan, rebels accidentally shot down a cargo plane flying from the UAE, and there may have been Russians on board, according to the Russian Embassy in Sudan.
As the embassy reported, the cargo plane was shot down in western Sudan.
"The Embassy is in contact with Sudanese authorities, taking all necessary actions to clarify the circumstances of the incident. The situation is complicated by the fact that the crash site is in war-torn Darfur," the statement said.
At the same time, several pro-Russian Telegram channels reported that the plane was mistakenly shot down by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces in Darfur, where fighting is ongoing between them and the regular army. Videos from the crash site have also appeared on social media.
Sudanese media have published photos of documents belonging to the pilots found at the crash site. The photos show that one of the pilots had a Russian passport, while another held an ID identifying him as the chief engineer of Airline Transport Incorporation FZC, a company based in the UAE and connected to Kyrgyzstan. The ID also mentioned "Manas International Airport" - the main international airport in Kyrgyzstan.
Russia's influence on Africa
Last year, there was information that Russia would sign military cooperation agreements with six African countries.
Around the same time, Russia began sending free grain to Africa, likely stolen from occupied Ukrainian territories, increasing their influence on the continent. It is also known that Russia has been recruiting African citizens to participate in the war in Ukraine.
