Russia denied on Wednesday that it has sent military personnel to Libya, refuting American accusations Tuesday that it has deployed fighter aircraft to the North African country to back the Libyan National Army, commanded by Khalifa Haftar.
The Russian upper house of parliament has not received a request to approve such a dispatch, Interfax on Wednesday cited Vladimir Dzhabarov, first deputy head of the upper house’s international affairs committee, as saying.
The US military said Tuesday Moscow had deployed the aircraft to support Russian mercenaries fighting for the LNA.
On Wednesday, it said Russian military personnel flew MiG 29 and SU-24 fighter planes to a Libyan airbase escorted by other Russian fighter jets, detailing a deployment of air power that could have a big impact on Libya’s war.
They first landed in Tobruk, in eastern Libya, and then flew to Jufra in central Libya, an LNA stronghold, the tweets said. They added that 14 newly unmarked Russian fighter planes had been delivered to Jufra.
The LNA has suffered a series of military setbacks recently in his offensive to capture the capital Tripoli after the Turkey-backed Government of National Accord captured the strategic Watiya airbase and a number of western coastal cities.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian said on Wednesday the situation in Libya was very worrying, warning the Syria scenario was being replicated in the country.
“The crisis is deepening. We are facing a ‘Syrianization’ of Libya,” he told a French Senate hearing.
