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Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni cuts ribbon, flanked by Russia’s Ambassador to Uganda Vladlen Semivolos (L) and Russian military officials on Sunday, October 26, 2025 - courtesy of UPDF – Uganda has expanded its defense partnership with Russia, receiving $53 million worth of new military equipment from Moscow this week, according to a media report in Uganda. The news comes as President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni officially opened a new Military Mechanised Major Repair Facility at Gaddafi Military Barracks in Magamaga. In a statement published by Uganda Diplomat Website, President Museveni praised the latest support, thanking President Vladimir Putin and calling Russia a “historic and very good friend of Africa.” He said the support helps strengthen Africa’s ability to defend itself. Russia’s Ambassador to Uganda, Vladlen Semivolos, was present at the event. The report stated that the new repair facility in Magamaga is a major step toward Uganda’s defense self-reliance, which will allow the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to locally repair, refurbish, and upgrade its armored and mechanised vehicles. According to media reports in Uganda, this development gives Uganda a critical advantage in maintaining its operational independence and reduces its reliance on Western suppliers. It stated that Uganda and Russia have a relationship that began during the Cold War era. Today, cooperation includes defense, education, and technology. According to the report, the recent $53 million package is one of the largest single military aid packages Uganda has received in recent years. President Museveni’s open welcome of the assistance highlights Uganda’s balanced foreign policy, which seeks strong relations with both Eastern and Western powers in a shifting global environment. It says the new repair base is seen as a symbol of Uganda’s growing confidence in managing its defense partnerships on its own terms.
