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Russia is a big supporter of the eastern Libya faction. It has provide weapons, equipment, and mercenaries to fight on behalf of the government in power in eastern Libya.
Wagner Group. This Russian paramilitary organization has been providing support (since 2018) to the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar. The Wagner Group was involved in the LNA's failed 2019-2020 campaign to seize Tripoli. According to the African Command (AFRICOM), the group's presence totaled about 2,000 as of 2020, but declined in 2022 as some personnel left to participate in the Ukraine conflict. 1.
Russian military intelligence has consolidated its control of the former Wagner Group and has increased that paramilitary organization's presence and activities in Libya. It is acting in the interests of Russia with the aim to increase Russian influence in the Mediterranean Sea. 2.
References
Megerisi, Tarek, "The bear who came to tea: Russia, Libya and
the Kremlin's playbook for fragile states", European Council on
Foreign Relations, March 28, 2025.
https://ecfr.eu/publication/the-bear-who-came-to-tea-russia-libya-and-the-kremlins-playbook-for-fragile-states/
_____, Russian Mercenary and Paramilitary Groups in Africa,
RAND Corporation, May 1, 2025, PDF, 62 pages.
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA2600/RRA2613-1/RAND_RRA2613-1.pdf
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Endnotes
1.
See Russia's
Wagner Group in Africa: Issues for Congress, Congressional
Research Service, CRS IF12389, updated August 3, 2023, PDF, 3
pages.
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12389
2. "Russian Military Intelligence Takes Over Wagner Operations in Libya", Eurasia Daily Monitor, The Jamestown Foundation, March 12, 2024. See also "Under new general, Russia's Wagner makes deeper inroads into Libya", Aljazeera, February 25, 2024.
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