The Italian website Inside Over has highlighted Moscow’s moves, in coordination with retired General Khalifa Haftar, to establish a military base in Matán al-Sarra in southern Libya. The report suggests that the base could become a key hub for the operations of Russia’s Africa Corps.
Writer Mauro Indelicato explains that Russia is looking to capitalize on Matán al-Sarra’s strategic location near the borders of Chad and Sudan, aiming to expand its influence in the African Sahel at the expense of French interests. After losing some of its foothold in Syria, Russia is repositioning itself in the Mediterranean by leveraging its ties with another key regional player—Khalifa Haftar.
Indelicato notes that Haftar controls eastern Libya and a large part of the country’s south, allowing him to secure a long corridor for his allies stretching from the depths of the Sahara to the Mediterranean coast. According to the report, Russia, which has maintained close ties with Haftar for nine years, understands the importance of such a location and is seeking to compensate for the bases it lost in Syria by establishing a presence in Matán al-Sarra.
Satellite images obtained by Western intelligence agencies in recent months reportedly show extensive construction in the remote area, a small oasis in the Kufra region surrounded by desert roads and difficult to access by land. However, the site’s strategic significance lies in an old Libyan military base with several warehouses capable of storing aircraft, along with at least three runways.
Indelicato also points out that Russian forces are deployed across several Sahel countries, including the Central African Republic, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Sudan. According to him, Matán al-Sarra may soon begin receiving Russian military equipment from Syria, making it the main hub for Africa Corps forces.
The United States and NATO view Russian activity in southern Libya with concern, despite the recent rapprochement between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A report by the Wall Street Journal, authored by Benoît Faucon and Lara Seligman, confirms that Russia has transferred advanced air defense systems and other sophisticated weaponry from Syria to Libya. Citing U.S. and Libyan officials, the report states that Moscow has withdrawn advanced air defense systems, including S-400 and S-300 radar components, from bases in Syria to facilities in eastern Libya under the control of Russia-backed warlord Khalifa Haftar. The report adds that Russia has also moved troops, military aircraft, and other weapons from Syria, significantly reducing its presence there.
Syria’s military bases had been the cornerstone of Moscow’s power projection in the Middle East and Africa, serving as a transit hub for troops, mercenaries, and arms. The Russian naval base in Tartus was Russia’s only refueling and repair station in the Mediterranean. Now, it appears that Moscow is turning to another long-standing partner in Libya to maintain its regional influence and support its naval presence, given the concentration of U.S. and NATO naval forces in the area.
The Wall Street Journal also reports that senior Russian officials met with Haftar last year to discuss granting long-term docking rights for Russian warships at the ports of Benghazi or Tobruk, both less than 400 miles from Greece and Italy. One U.S. official stated that Moscow is considering upgrading facilities in Tobruk to accommodate Russian warships.
The report further highlights that Haftar has long sought advanced air defense systems from Russia to strengthen his hold on Libya, a country mired in conflict and division since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. Since then, armed groups and foreign powers have vied for influence, culminating in a civil war in 2019. Libya remains divided between eastern and western factions, with Russia’s presence providing Haftar protection against Turkey-backed forces stationed in western Libya.
Military analysts argue that while establishing naval and air bases in Libya may help Russia, it will not fully compensate for its losses in Syria. According to former Russian Air Force officer Gleb Irisov, who previously served at Russia’s Hmeimim base in Syria, turning Libya into a refueling stop for Africa-bound operations would limit the amount of equipment Moscow can transfer.
On December 16, a cargo plane owned by Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, which handles both military and humanitarian missions, landed in eastern Libya en route from Russia to Mali for the second time in a week, according to AirNav Radar, a flight tracking service. The plane’s cargo remains unknown. Additionally, a transport aircraft owned by Rubystar, a company the U.S. has accused of ferrying Russian personnel and helicopters to Africa, departed from Minsk, Belarus, according to FlightRadar24.
Libyan officials reported that the aircraft carried logistical supplies such as vehicles and communication equipment. However, the watchdog group The Sentry suggested that it likely also delivered ammunition.
