The Russian Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, arrived in Sudan, where he met with a member of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Shams al-Din Kabbashi, the Sudanese army said in a statement.
The sides discussed bilateral relations between Sudan and Russia and ways to enhance cooperation politically, economically, militarily and culturally, the Sudanese military added.
In addition, the member of the Transitional Sovereignty Council praised Russia's stance in "support of Sudanese legitimacy," emphasizing that "all attempts by those who lurk against the interests, sovereignty and stability of the Sudan are doomed to failure," according to the army.
Sudanese Foreign Minister-designate Hussein Awad Ali, who also attended the meeting, said that Bogdanov "denounced during the meeting the claims based on the equivalence between the legitimacy of the Sudanese state and the rebellion."
"He [Awad Ali] said that the meeting secured Russia's support for Sudan in confronting everything that could threaten its sovereignty and the interests of its people," the army said.
In April 2023, clashes broke out between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. They have since introduced some temporary nationwide ceasefires, but none have helped settle the conflict. In late October, the parties to the conflict resumed negotiations, mediated by Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, but the hostilities have continued.
Sudanese Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim has recently told Sputnik that more than 13,000 people have been killed and over 30,000 others injured over the course of one year of the armed conflict in Sudan.
In March, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Anna Evstigneeva, said that the conflict in Sudan has worsened the situation in the country, but Western measures applied against Sudan have undermined the stability of its society.