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Rabat – A Defense News investigation has revealed that Russia is using Algeria as a key hub in a shadow logistics network that may be moving military equipment and helping Moscow bypass Western sanctions.
The investigation tracked at least 167 cargo flights between Russia and Algeria from March 2025 to April 2026. Many of these flights linked Russian aircraft manufacturing sites with Algerian military bases, and in some cases coincided with sightings of new Russian-made fighter jets over Algerian territory.
According to the report, Algeria is receiving advanced Russian aircraft, including Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighters and Su-35 jets. It already operates around 60 Su-30 fighters and about 40 MiG-29 aircraft. Analysts say the air traffic surge likely reflects ongoing weapons deliveries.
“I think this is a pretty reasonable explanation for these flights,” said Margaux Garcia, a senior analyst at C4ADS, who studies Russian covert logistics networks, as Defense News reported.
Algeria has long been one of Russia’s most important arms customers. Between 2018 and 2022, it bought about 73% of its weapons from Russia, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). While that share has recently declined, Russia remains Algeria’s main supplier.
Defense News said it found that many flights were linked to key Russian military production centers, including Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Irkutsk Northwest, and Yeltsovka airport near Novosibirsk. These facilities produce aircraft such as the Su-57, Su-35, Su-30, and Su-34.
The investigation also identified Mineralnye Vody airport in southern Russia as a major staging point. About two-thirds of flights stopped there before continuing to Algeria.
Much of the transport is carried out using Ilyushin Il-76 cargo planes, which have a limited range and often require refueling stops. The investigation says this makes intermediate hubs like Algeria strategically important.
A logistics and transit hub in Africa
Beyond arms deliveries, the report suggests Algeria may also be part of a wider logistics chain supporting Russian operations across Africa. Some flights continued onward to countries such as Guinea and Niger, both of which have growing ties with Moscow.
The report also notes possible links to Russia’s paramilitary activity on the continent. Former Wagner Group operations and its successor, Africa Corps, have relied heavily on air logistics networks.
These air carriers are key to maintaining semi-covert missions, said Candace Rondeaux, director at Future Frontlines. She described them as part of what she called “Air Wagner,” a logistics system supporting Russian activity abroad.
Investigators also documented the use of tracking evasion tactics. Some aircraft reportedly turned off their transponders or misreported their flight paths, making it harder to track their movements.
The flights also show regular stops in the United Arab Emirates, which Western analysts have previously identified as a sanctions-evasion hub for Russian entities.
The aircraft are often operated by private charter companies such as Gelix Airlines and Aviacon Zitotrans, which have been linked to sensitive cargo operations. These firms deny any wrongdoing.
Gelix Airlines CEO Vadim Baldin rejected claims that the flights carried military equipment. “We transport cars, machinery, and containers. In short, everything that can be legally loaded onto an Il-76,” he said. He also said the company maintains “purely businesslike relationships with all participants in the air transportation market.”
However, Baldin acknowledged the complexity of operations. “Algeria is indeed an important hub for international logistics,” he told Defense News, adding that it is “only one of 36 countries to which our airline flies.”
The report also notes that Gelix has seen rapid growth, with its CEO telling Russian media that 2025 revenue more than doubled, driven by flights to Latin America and West Africa.
Analysts say the expansion of these “shadow airlines” reflects Russia’s efforts to adapt to Western sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine. Using civilian-registered aircraft and private operators allows Moscow to move sensitive cargo with less scrutiny.
Defense News concludes that Algeria’s role is evolving from a weapons buyer into a key transit hub in Russia’s wider global logistics network, linking the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America through a complex and often opaque air transport system.
