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Putin, Lukashenko and Libyan Military Leader Suspected in Plot to Spark New EU Migrant Crisis
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Russia may be working with eastern Libyan commander Gen. Khalifa Haftar to spark a fresh wave of illegal migration into the European Union, according to a report by The Telegraph on August 9.
EU officials have detected a spike in flights between Benghazi, in eastern Libya, and Minsk, the capital of Belarus—a pattern that recalls the 2021 border crisis, when tens of thousands of migrants were funneled into Europe in what officials said was a Kremlin-orchestrated destabilization effort.
“The frequency and nature of these flights, particularly within a short timeframe, raise questions about potential co-ordination or facilitation of irregular migration flows,” a European Commission spokesperson told The Telegraph.
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Open-source data shows that flights on Libya’s national carrier between Benghazi and Minsk jumped from two in May to five in June, before dipping slightly to four in July.
In 2021, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko faced accusations of flying in migrants and sending them to makeshift camps on EU borders, where officials allegedly advised them on how to cross undetected.
Analysts say the operation was coordinated with Moscow to distract from Russia’s troop buildup before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The EU recorded about 5,000 illegal crossings along its eastern land borders in the first seven months of this year. While that’s fewer than last year, officials fear the Libya–Belarus flight corridor could trigger another influx.
Some European politicians believe Putin could weaponize his growing influence in Libya, a country where he has been building a presence since Russia’s withdrawal from Syria.
Equipment has reportedly been transferred from the Syrian port of Tartus to Libyan territory.
When Haftar’s Libyan Arab Armed Forces staged a military parade last month, they showcased hundreds of Russian armored vehicles and air defense systems. Haftar is also said to control smuggling networks that send migrants from Libya across the Mediterranean into Europe.
“The fact that Russia is increasing its influence in Libya is precisely our concern,” EU migration commissioner Magnus Brunner told Politico last month. “There is certainly a danger that Russia will use migrants and the migration issue as a weapon against Europe. This weaponisation is taking place.”
An EU delegation’s recent trip to Benghazi was abruptly canceled after officials landed and were told they were not welcome.
Belarus remains a top challenge for the EU’s border agency, Frontex, which warns that Lukashenko, Putin, and Haftar appear to be coordinating once again to pressure the bloc.
“Migrants are used as an instrument by the regime to put pressure on the European Union’s borders, and our neighbours are really suffering from this,” Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told The Telegraph.
“This is all the actions of Lukashenko… a tool to put pressure on the EU for its strong position in supporting democracy.”
Earlier, Lithuania filed a lawsuit against Belarus at the International Court of Justice, accusing Minsk of facilitating an increased flow of migrants toward the Lithuanian border.
