The Forgotten Russian Colony in Africa

A short-lived Russian colony in East Africa that lasted only a month

An abandoned Egyptian fort became a short-lived Russian colony in East Africa. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.

In the list of European empires that colonized Africa, one is glaringly absent, Russia. Though the Russian Empire was a well-established imperialist force by the nineteenth century, it did not rush to colonize Africa. But that doesn’t mean Russians were not interested in Africa.

In Djibouti, East Africa, one daring explorer, Nikolai Achinov, established a Russian colony all by himself. The colony didn’t last beyond a month. Achinov’s crazy dream came to an abrupt end.

Who was Achinov and why did he join the European scramble for Africa? Before we discuss his doomed mission, let us talk briefly about why Russia didn’t colonize Africa on a large scale.

Why didn’t Russia try to colonize Africa?

Map of the Russian Empire. Major ports included Odessa, Vladivostok, and St Petersburg for a route to Africa. Image source: Britannica.

By the early nineteenth century, the Russian Empire was the largest empire in the world. Conquering and ruling new territories was an official state policy of the Russian Empire.

Which makes us question, why didn’t Russia attempt to colonize Africa?