according to u.s. and libyan officials, this is how the kremlin hopes to maintain influence in the middle east after the downfall of bashar al-assad by hay'at tahrir al-sham (hts) islamists. russian cargo planes have transported elements of s-300 and s-400 surface-to-air missile systems, including radars, to facilities in eastern libya controlled by moscow-backed field marshal khalifa haftar. troops, warplanes and weapons have also been withdrawn from syria, significantly reducing the russian military presence in the country. at the same time, the u.s. official noted that it is still unclear whether air defense systems will remain in libya. syrian bases, including the port in tartus, which provided russia's only direct access to the mediterranean sea, have long served as key points for extending its influence across the middle east and africa, as well as a hub for the transfer of troops, mercenaries and weapons. now the kremlin wants to use an old partner in libya instead of dismissed assad to maintain influence and a naval presence in the region where nato bases are located. mercenaries of the wagner pmc, which was taken over by the defense ministry after the death of the group's founder yevgeny prigozhin, have long been in this country. they have close ties with haftar, whose libyan national army controls the east of the republic. previously, the wagnerites used his airbase to transfer mercenaries and weapons to other african countries. source:   fense-bases-syria-libya-25810db0   s/1869764358974091554  
Anarchist