Russia continues to send arms to Sudanese militia through Libya
Satellite images have shown two Russian cargo planes flying from Kufra Airport in southeastern Libya to areas of Sudan which are controlled by the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group in civil war with the Sudanese government, according to the Libya Observer on July 17th.
The aircrafts spotted are called IL-76, and are used by Russia to transport military personnel and equipment, and more medium-range logistical operations.
Southern regions of Libya lack a strong presence of state authority, and therefore Kufra Airport is able to facilitate the continued flow of military supplies to the Rapid Support Forces through remote corridors.
According to the Libya Observer, CNN has documented similar movements in December 2024, using flight tracking data to reveal multiple cargo flights transporting military equipment from southern Libya to areas of Sudan controlled by the Rapid Support Forces.
Since the end of May 2025 there has been a noticeable increase in these types of flights leaving Libya to Sudan, reportedly orchestrated by the United Arab Emirates.
The Rapid Support Forces have consolidated their presence at the border triangle between Sudan, Egypt and Libya, announcing on June 11th that they had seized a strategic zone here.
Russia has also been growing their presence and influence in this area of North Africa, with eastern Libya and Sudan being ideal places to expand due to political instability caused by violent civil wars.
Libya’s governance has been divided into two rival administrations since 2011, and the fractured politics and rampant violence from armed militias across the nation has given Russia the opportunity to settle in.
The government in eastern Libya is not officially recognised by the United Nations, but is backed by Russia and is geographically closer to the border with Sudan.
On June 24th it was reported that Russia has been using a Libyan airbase in the east as a regional base, not Kufra Airport but the Al-Khadim base, to transport arms through.
Libya Observer/Maghrebi
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