As Russian officials continue to deny and dismiss the presence of Russian military in Libya, the internationally recognized Libyan Government of National Accord is strongly determined to make the liberation of the country from such a presence its utmost priority, considered pervasive and nefarious.
The Libyan Army spokesperson Mohammed Qanunu announced that members of Russia’s Wagner Group are occupying the country’s main oilfields making the clearing of Sirte and Jufra from Russian mercenaries an obligation.
According to data obtained by the U.S. command in Africa, AFRICOM, there are 14 Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets in the Jufra airbase, as well as Sukhoi-24 bombers and the Russian-made Pantsir air defense systems. Besides Wagner mercenaries, Ukrainian and Serbian fighters are also stationed at the base. In specific, Russian mercenaries are reported to be deployed inside the al Ghardabya airbase, south of Sirte. Al Ghardabya airbase is assessed to be full functioning while additional personnel deployed in al Jufra has been noticed; both aspects confirm an increased military activities.
(Source: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33698/russia-now-has-at-least-14-combat-jets-in-libya-as-satellite-images-reveal-new-details)
For his part, the Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov dismissed the presence of Russian mercenaries in Libya and their military support of Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) and blamed such information on fabricated data aimed at discrediting Russia’s policy on Libya. This statement sharply contradicts a myriad of reputable sources, including, among others, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), which claimed that no less than 2,000 Russian mercenaries are fighting alongside the LNA.
Despite the retreat from the frontline, no information on the Wagner Group pulling out of the country, or wider Russian withdrawal, has emerged. On the contrary, Russia has increased its involvement in Libya in two primary ways. First, Russia has increased its recruitment mechanisms with Russian non-state actors—including representatives of Wagner—becoming closely involved in recruiting Syrian fighters that are transported to Libya to fight on the side of the LNA. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that more than 900 Syrians were recruited by Russia to fight in Libya in May alone. Second, Russia is expanding its covert military-technical cooperation with the LNA by sending via Syria at least 14 MiG-29s and several Su-24s, whose images were captured by USAFRICOM.
