A bombshell investigation conducted by CNN has revealed unprecedented information about a Russian role in plundering Sudan's gold wealth to make up for the economic challenges caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
According to the CNN investigation released on Friday, a network of Russian and Sudanese military leaders have been cooperating to loot Sudan's wealth of gold, providing funding for the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine with the blessing of Sudan's military rulers.
Source: Twitter
The investigation cited high-level Sudanese officials who confirmed at least "16 known Russian gold smuggling flights out of Sudan [...] over the last year and a half.", usingng Wagner operatives, all meant to "fortify Russia against increasingly robust Western sanctions and to buttress Moscow's war effort in Ukraine."
Russia is plundering Sudan gold? Africa should beware of all these super power assistances. they are in for the resources and further impoverishing of Africans. they support conflicts to keep our focus away, sell arms to us rather than technology. Africans beware! Choose wisely
— OSENI Lanre Kamil-M (@lanrehussain) July 29, 2022
Moreover, the CNN report found evidence that the Russian scheme to "smuggle Sudan's gold" to Russia was a result of an agreement between Russia's leadership and Sudan's "beleaguered" military counterparts, in exchange for Russian backing for the African country's military rulers, who are facing increasing difficulty amid growing popular protests who are demanding an end to military rule and an immediate transition to a democratic rule, following the revolution that ousted former President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.
CNN's Chief International Investigative Correspondent @nimaelbagir travels to Sudan's gold country in her latest investigation, uncovering evidence of an intricate gold smuggling network between Russia and Sudanese military leaders.
— Lauren Cone (@LConeCNN) July 28, 2022
Sudan's Gold, Russia's War airs Friday on CNN. pic.twitter.com/7QqlHXBf1e
Among Sudan's military rulers named in the CNN report is the country's strongmen Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo also known as Hemedti, who leads the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary unit, in addition to the de facto ruler of the country Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
In response to the groundbreaking investigation, thousands of Sudanese people have been pledging to show up for another day of protests, called "the million man march" on July 31st, 2022, renewing calls for an end to the military rule, accusing it of extending "arbitrary military rule" while "helping foreign powers loot the country's wealth".
Can one of you tankies explain how supporting Russia is anti-imperialist again? - Russia is plundering gold in Sudan to boost Putin's war effort in Ukraine https://t.co/Z9eeOeXGZC
— Eliot Higgins (@EliotHiggins) July 30, 2022
Sudan is believed to be Africa's second-largest producer of gold while it has the world's ninth biggest gold reverses, granting it the potential to be one of the world's richest countries. However, decades of dictatorship, corruption, and military rule have greatly affected the country's population, forcing more than 40% of its citizens to live below the poverty line.
