Watan-An investigation by The Wall Street Journal revealed the presence of Ukrainian forces in Sudan, fighting alongside the army against the Rapid Support Forces.
The report stated that Russia has been vigorously extracting gold in several African countries for years, and has extensively trained fighters there. However, it is now increasing economic pressure to prevent smaller countries, like Ecuador, from indirectly sending weapons to Kiev.
The presence of Ukrainian forces in Sudan represents a new risky adventure, part of a strategy aimed at hindering Russian economic and military operations abroad, thus increasing the cost of war for Russia. This also solidifies Kiev’s stance as a bulwark against Russian encroachment, particularly in areas where the West avoids direct involvement.
A 40-year-old Ukrainian officer, identified by the pseudonym “Prada,” who led a Ukrainian team in Sudan, stated, “It’s impossible to bypass Russia by fighting over a small piece of land alone, like the front line in Ukraine. If they have gold mines in Sudan, we need to make them unprofitable.”
Political Risks
However, these operations come with significant political risks at a time when Western support for Ukraine is declining.
In Sudan, Ukraine is involved in an internal conflict in a foreign country where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, with the United States stating that both sides are committing war crimes.
In an interview with Lieutenant General Kirilo Budaiov, who leads the Ukrainian Military Intelligence (HUR), the military commander refused to comment on whether his forces were deployed in Sudan but outlined the logical basis behind sending Ukrainian forces abroad. Budaiov stated, “War is a serious business. We are in a comprehensive war with Russia… They have units in different parts of the world, and sometimes we try to attack them there.”
The accounts in the report are based on interviews with several Ukrainian forces participating in the Sudanese operation, Sudanese soldiers, and footage from Sudan reviewed by the newspaper.
The First Wave of Ukrainian Forces in Sudan
The first wave of Ukrainian forces arrived in Sudan, numbering about 100 soldiers, mostly from the Timur unit of the Ukrainian Military Intelligence, in mid-August of last year. Russian influence in the country was evident upon their arrival, as soldiers trained in Russian military academies were acting as interpreters for the Ukrainians.
The Timur unit of the Ukrainian Military Intelligence is fighting alongside the Sudanese army. A 30-year-old officer known by the alias “King,” who led the first group of Ukrainians to Sudan, stated that his team encountered a type of conflict vastly different from what they had experienced in Eastern Europe.
Soldiers on both sides fought wearing sandals, sometimes emptying ammunition while holding rifles above their heads, unable to see the target they were firing at.
The majority of Sudanese soldiers hadn’t received their salaries since the fighting began months ago, which weakened their morale. Fighters didn’t wear any markings indicating their allegiance, and friendly fire was a constant threat.
Sudan: A Battlefield Between Russia and Ukraine
Sudan has become a battleground in the war between Russia and Ukraine because it’s rich in two resources: gold and weapons. Budaiov mentioned, “We obtained a lot of weapons from Sudan during that time. Many countries paid money to get it. They had a variety of weapons… You can find everything, from Chinese to American weapons.”
While Russia was prospecting for gold in Sudan, the Wagner Group led Moscow’s operation in the country, as they did in other African countries. They trained the Rapid Support Forces, who provided security for Russian entities in the mines.
Ukrainian forces in Sudan began training Sudanese soldiers in tactics that helped them counter the larger Russian army, particularly in the use of drones.
A 28-year-old soldier, also from the Timur unit of the Ukrainian Military Intelligence, mentioned cooperating with Sudanese forces in planting mines in supply routes leading to Khartoum. He recounted how they booby-trapped a truck that broke down in the middle of the road, saying, “The next morning, when the enemy’s small truck, filled with infantry and weapons, crossed, we detonated it.”
According to the newspaper, the Prada team returned to Ukraine earlier this year, with no reported losses in Sudan from any Ukrainian units.
Ukraine’s impact in Sudan is still felt. In recent weeks, the Rapid Support Forces regained control of vast areas of Omdurman, marking their first major advance in the conflict. Experts largely attribute these gains to the precision of drone attacks, along with the deployment of elite units in the Sudanese army. Kiev also recently sent a shipment of wheat flour to Port Sudan, which arrived last week.