President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has announced that Uganda has received military equipment worth $53 million from the Russian Federation, describing it as a generous donation from what he called Uganda’s “ideological and strategic friends.”
In a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, President Museveni said the equipment was part of ongoing cooperation between Uganda and Russia, which he praised as a “historic and very good friend of Africa.”
“I have received equipment worth $53 million as a donation from our ideological and strategic friends from the Russian Federation. I also launched the Military Mechanised Major Repair Facility at Gaddafi Military Barracks, Magamaga, and a workshop in Entebbe that is under construction,” Museveni said.
The president also thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for the continued military support, saying it will strengthen Uganda’s defense capabilities and contribute to regional stability.
“I want to thank President Putin for the military support; this support is beneficial. What the Russians have done is just a glimpse of the good things they have achieved,” he added.
The launch of the Military Mechanised Major Repair Facility at Gaddafi Barracks in Magamaga marks a major step toward enhancing Uganda’s capacity to maintain and repair its own defense equipment locally. A similar workshop is being built in Entebbe to expand the army’s logistical capabilities.
Museveni emphasized that Uganda’s partnership with Russia goes beyond military cooperation, describing it as part of a broader ideological bond rooted in mutual respect and support.
“Russia is a historic and very good friend of Africa,” he said, highlighting the longstanding relationship between the two nations dating back to Uganda’s early post-independence years.
The new facility and equipment are expected to boost the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in its modernization efforts and reduce dependence on external maintenance support.
