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Russia recently deployed military fighter aircraft to Libya to support Russian state-sponsored private military contractors, or PMCs, operating on the ground there, U.S. Africa Command officials said.<\/p>\n
Russian military aircraft are likely to provide close air support and offensive fires for the Wagner Group PMC, which is supporting the Libyan National Army\u2019s fight against the internationally recognized government of national accord, Africom officials said in a news release. The Russian fighter aircraft arrived in Libya from an air base in Russia after transiting Syria, where Africom officials assess they were repainted to camouflage their Russian origin.<\/p>\n
\u201dRussia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favor in Libya. Just like I saw them doing in Syria, they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner,\u201d said Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, Africom\u2019s commander. \u201dFor too long, Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict. Well, there is no denying it now. We watched as Russia flew fourth-generation jet fighters to Libya \u2014 every step of the way. Neither the LNA nor private military companies can arm, operate and sustain these fighters without state support \u2014 support they are getting from Russia.\u201d<\/p>\n Russia has employed state-sponsored Wagner in Libya to conceal its direct role and to afford Moscow plausible deniability of its malign actions, the Africom release said, adding the command\u2019s assessment that Moscow\u2019s military actions have prolonged the Libyan conflict and exacerbated casualties and human suffering on both sides.<\/p>\n Townsend said Khalifa Belqasim Haftar, who commands the Libyan National Army, had made his intentions clear. \u201cThe world heard Mr. Haftar declare he was about to unleash a new air campaign,\u201d the general said. \u201cThat will be Russian mercenary pilots flying Russian-supplied aircraft to bomb Libyans.\u201d<\/p>\n Russia is not interested in what is best for the Libyan people, but is working to achieve its own strategic goals instead, Africom officials said.<\/p>\n \u201dIf Russia seizes basing on Libya\u2019s coast, the next logical step is they deploy permanent long-range anti-access area-denial capabilities,\u201d said Air Force Gen. Jeff Harrigian, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. \u201dIf that day comes, it will create very real security concerns on Europe\u2019s southern flank.\u201d Russia\u2019s destabilizing actions in Libya also will exacerbate the regional instability that has driven the migration crisis affecting Europe, officials said.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.defencetalk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/DT-russia-mig-29-libya.jpg\")
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