PORT-SUDAN, Sudan, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Thursday announced a military program with Russia to develop the Sudanese army to be a deterrent force.
"We have a program with our Russian brothers, our Russian friends, to modernize the armed forces and prepare them in all fields," said al-Bashir when addressing the Sudanese army units in the Red Sea Thursday.
"We have a full program to develop the armed forces in the three axis of personnel, equipment and work environment," he added.
He went on saying that "in the past we depended on importation of everything, even the ammunition, but now we manufacture the pistol and even the missile, the plane and the warship."
"We say to our enemies to stay away from us. We are ready for whoever tries to target our country. We are not fighting for the sake of war, but when war comes to us, then we are ready for," said al-Bashir.
Sudan maintains military ties with Russia to enhance its military arsenal, namely with regard to the air force.
During his visit to Russia in November last year, al-Bashir asked the Russian president to establish a Russian base in the Red Sea. He also asked Moscow for air defence systems, patrol boats, missile boats, minesweepers, radars and complete missile systems.
It is to be noted that media reports late 2017 indicated that Sudan had received a number of Russian Sukhoi SU-35 fighter planes.