US warns of NATO security threat as Russian jets arrive in Libya
The fighter aircraft were delivered via Syria, where they were reportedly painted "to camouflage their Russian origin."
US Africa Command said Russia has introduced fighter aircraft to Libya to “tip the scales” in the country’s civil war, a move the command characterized as a step toward a possible security threat to NATO.
Reports first emerged last week that a Russian MiG-29 had been spotted at al-Jufrah airbase in western Libya. Satellite imagery also led to speculation that Russian Su-24s were being stored in hangars at al-Khadim airbase in the country’s east.
AFRICOM said in a press release that Russia delivered the aircraft via Syria, where they were painted “to camouflage their Russian origin.” The command said the jets will likely be flown by Russian pilots providing air support to Wagner paramilitary fighters and Khalifa Hifter’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) in his stalled campaign against the UN-backed government in Tripoli.
“Russia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favor in Libya,” AFRICOM commander US Army Gen. Stephen Townsend said in Tuesday’s statement.
