Russia Expands Military Presence in Libya, Shifting Weapons Supplies from Syria

Russia intensified its activities in Libya following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, an event that has jeopardized Moscow’s military foothold in Syria, particularly its bases in Hmeimim and Tartus, diplomatic sources told Le Monde on February 11.

Since December, Russian Il-76 cargo planes have been making an average of four flights per week to the Al-Khadim and Al-Jufra airbases in Libya. However, logistical disruptions in Syria have forced Moscow to alter its usual supply routes.

According to Flightradar24 data, Russian aircraft now avoid Turkish airspace—due to Ankara’s support for Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Unity in Tripoli—flying instead directly from Belarus.

Meanwhile, military equipment is also being transported by sea. The collapse of Russian supply routes between the Tartus naval base and Libya’s eastern ports of Tobruk and Benghazi has forced Russian ships to take a longer route via the Baltic Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and Gibraltar.

Russia has also refurbished the Maaten al-Sarra airfield in southeastern Libya, located 100 km from the Chadian border and 300 km from Sudan. Satellite images indicate that by early February 2025, a 3.9 km runway reconstruction was completed.

Experts suggest that Russia may be positioning itself to establish a full-scale naval base in Libya, potentially in Tobruk or Sirte, amid negotiations to maintain its presence in Tartus stall with Syria’s new leadership.

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Over the past year, senior Russian officials have held talks with Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar about securing long-term access to port facilities in Benghazi and Tobruk, strategically located less than 640 km from Greece and Italy. Among those involved in discussions was Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, who visited Libya to explore naval expansion options.

In December, a US official told The Wall Street Journal that Russia was considering upgrading Tobruk’s port infrastructure to accommodate its warships.

Russia has already been using Libya as a logistics hub to expand its influence in the Sahel region, supplying its growing presence in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Sudan. However, despite Haftar’s alliance with Moscow, sources in Tripoli claim he has limited control over Russian operations in Libya.

Earlier, the Syrian Ministry of Defense blocked a Russian military convoy from accessing the Tartus naval base, further complicating Moscow’s strategic position in the region.