In Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan, the vast majority of Russians who were in the combat zones were moved to safety within the grounds of the Russian embassy complex. The evacuation operation was coordinated at the diplomatic level, with the embassy serving as a secure shelter during an intensely unstable period in the city. This update is based on structured reports from the Russian diplomatic mission in Sudan and the official statements that followed the rapid escalation of hostilities.
According to the head of the mission, clashes began in a broad and continuous fashion, with fighting erupting almost simultaneously across multiple districts. The statement underscored the scale of the danger, noting that the fighting was not confined to a single neighborhood but spanned several areas, making careful movement of civilians essential and, in many cases, directly hazardous. The embassy noted that timely decisions were crucial to protect staff and residents who could be reached through coordinated routes and designated safe corridors.
In describing the operational realities, it was emphasized that personnel were located in several high-tension locations, roughly six or seven hotspots. Despite the risk, evacuation efforts succeeded in removing most people from those sites. A notable exception involved a Russian woman and her child who were in a building belonging to a religious metropolis complex. This particular case highlighted the volatility of the situation, as some individuals remained in dangerous proximity to the conflict’s costs while others were relocated to safety. The ambassador and the leadership at the embassy remained engaged with local authorities to maximize the safety of all those affected, even as conditions on the ground fluctuated rapidly.
The ambassador stressed that during the crisis, the safest course of action was to remain within the embassy compound as long as possible. This approach minimized exposure and allowed security personnel to manage movement and communications more effectively. The overarching message from the mission was clear: do not venture outside unless there is a clear and authorized route to safety, and only with the explicit guidance of embassy security teams. The aim was to preserve life by avoiding predicaments created by sudden bursts of violence or unexpected security incidents in the wider cityscape.
In parallel developments, it was noted that U.S. authorities had already implemented an evacuation of Sudanese embassy personnel and their families. This comparison served to illustrate the broader international concern about the safety of diplomatic staff and local civilians during the upheaval. The actions taken by different nations underscored the urgency and seriousness with which foreign missions addressed the volatile environment, signaling a widely shared priority of protecting lives and ensuring orderly, supervised exits when feasible. The implications of such evacuations extended beyond immediate safety, touching on diplomatic readiness, contingency planning, and future coordination for any necessary repatriation or continued presence in the region.
[Source: Official Diplomatic Communications]