RFI has reported the presence of Ukrainian military personnel in western Libya

The French media outlet RFI has published an investigation into the presence of Ukrainian military personnel in western Libya. It concerns a covert confrontation between Kyiv and Moscow on the African continent, linked to military and economic interests.

According to two Libyan sources, more than 200 officers and experts from the Ukrainian army are in Libya with the consent of the government in Tripoli, led by Abdelhamid Dbeibah. They are stationed at three locations.

The first of these is located at the Air Force Academy in Misrata. Turkish and Italian forces and representatives of US Africa Command are also stationed there, and a British intelligence centre operates from the site.

According to sources, the Ukrainian military is using a second base in the town of Zawiya. It is equipped to launch aerial and maritime drones and is situated near the Melita oil and gas complex.

In this area, Ukrainian experts occupy a site with direct access to the sea. Work has been carried out there to fortify the site and install the necessary infrastructure.

The third facility is located at the base of the Libyan Army’s 111th Brigade on the road to Tripoli Airport. It is used for coordination between the Ukrainian military and the Libyan side.

According to sources, the agreement on the presence of Ukrainian military personnel was concluded in October on the initiative of Ukraine’s military attaché in Algiers, General Andriy Bayuk. In exchange, the Libyan military receives training, particularly in the use of drones. In the long term, the document provides for the supply of weapons and Ukrainian investment in Libya’s oil and gas sector.

The Ukrainian side did not respond to a request for comment. The Tripoli government has also not commented on the situation.

The report also mentions an incident on 4 March 2026, when Moscow accused Ukraine and British intelligence of attacking the Russian gas tanker Arktik Metagaz in the Mediterranean Sea. According to experts, the vessel may have been struck by a maritime drone.

According to sources, the drone in question is a Ukrainian-made Magura V5, which had previously been deployed in the Black Sea. The attack was likely carried out from the area of Melita.

The strike hit the ship’s engine room, causing it to come to a halt due to flooding. The incident has raised concerns over the risk of environmental consequences for the Libyan coast.

Some politicians in the country have spoken of a violation of sovereignty and described the events as a manifestation of the indirect confrontation between Moscow and Kyiv.

A similar incident occurred on 19 December 2025, when a source within the Ukrainian Security Service reported a strike on a Russian tanker in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea.