MOSCOW — Sudan has been using Russian pilots to fly its new MiG-29
fleet.
Russian sources said the regime of Sudanese President Omar Bashir has
been using former and current Russian Air Force pilots to fly Khartoum's
fleet of MiG-29 fighter-jets. The sources said the pilots have participated
in operations against rebels in both the Darfour province as well as around
Khartoum in May 2008.
"There were significant problems in the effectiveness of Sudanese MiG
pilots," a Russian source said. "With the new planes came Russian training
and advisers, who also served as pilots."
The sources said one of the Russian pilots was killed in the downing of
a MiG-29 Fulcrum jet in the Khartoum suburb of Omdurman. They said a former
Russian Air Force pilot was flying the MiG in a mission against the rebel
Justice and Equality Movement during its advance on the Sudanese capital.
"We believe he was shot down by a SAM [surface-to-air] missile," the
Russian source said.
The Moscow-based Interfax news agency confirmed the killing of the
Russian pilot in Omdurman. Interfax said the pilot, dismissed by the Russian
Air Force, served as a foreign adviser to the Sudanese Air Force.
Interfax did not identify the pilot. The news agency said the Russian
pilot was not connected to the Russian military mission in Sudan.
The Russian sources said Russian pilots have been flying the 14 MiG-29s
since their arrival in Khartoum around 2006. The sources said the MiG-29s
were used as part of the effort by the regime of President Omar Bashir to
quell the rebellion in Darfour.
Russian analysts have asserted that the fourth-generation Fulcrum was
equivalent to the U.S.-origin F-15 fighter. The MiG-29 has been equipped
with the advanced R-73 Archer and R-77 Adder air-to-air missiles.
The Sudanese military was said to receive most of its assistance from
China and former republics of the Soviet Union. The United States has
imposed a weapons embargo on Khartoum.
On Wednesday, U.S. envoy to Sudan, Richard Williamson, arrived in
Khartoum at the head of a State Department and CIA delegation. The
delegation was said to be discussing ways to remove obstacles toward full
U.S. diplomatic relations with Khartoum.
