Ukraine has deployed military personnel to western Libya, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported on April 3, citing unnamed Libyan sources familiar with the matter.
The allegation follows Russia’s claim that Ukraine was behind an attack on the tanker Arctic Metagaz, part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, which occurred off Libya’s coast on March 3.
According to a report by RFI, citing well-placed Libyan sources, Ukraine has deployed several hundred military personnel to Libya. These forces are said to be spread across different sites and operating in coordination with authorities in Tripoli. The same sources allege that Ukrainian units carried out the strike on the Arctic Metagaz using naval drones.
The Kyiv Independent has contacted Ukrainian officials for clarification but has not yet received any reply. RFI’s sources estimate that roughly 200 Ukrainian officers and specialists are currently stationed in Libya. One key location is the Air Force Academy in Misrata, a northwestern city that also hosts personnel linked to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and a British intelligence facility.
Reports further indicate that Ukrainian forces have access to drone launch infrastructure—both aerial and maritime—near the Mellitah Oil and Gas Complex, one of Libya’s largest energy hubs. Coordination between Libyan and Ukrainian personnel is also said to take place at the headquarters of the Libyan military’s 111th Brigade, situated along the route to Tripoli’s airport.
According to these accounts, Ukraine’s military presence in Libya stems from a deal reached between Kyiv and Tripoli in October 2025. Under this arrangement, Ukraine would provide drone training, invest in Libya’s oil industry, and potentially supply weapons in the future, in return for being allowed to station troops on Libyan territory.
Comments
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *