International Russia Now Has At Least 14 Combat Jets In Libya As Satellite Images Reveal New Details

[GhostZ06]

The U.S. military's top command for operations in Africa says that Russia has sent at least 14 combat jets to Libya and that Russian military pilots are flying them. It has also released additional satellite imagery shot last week showing two MiG-29 Fulcrums at Al Jufrah Air Base in the center of that country. This comes a day after it first revealed evidence that the Kremlin had sent the aircraft to bolster forces fighting on behalf of strongman Khalifa Haftar against Libya's U.N.-recognized government.

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) Tweeted out the new imagery and information on May 27, 2020. The satellite images are dated May 20, a day before the first reports began to emerge that Russian MiG-29s, as well as Su-24 Fencers, had touched down in Libya.
"Over multiple days in May, Russian MiG 29s and SU-24 fighters departed Russia. At that time, all the aircraft have Russian Federation Air Force markings," one of the Tweets reads. "After they land at Khmeimin Air Base in Syria, the MiG 29s are repainted and emerge with no national markings."


"They are flown by Russian military members & escorted by Russian fighters based in Syria to Libya, landing in Eastern Libya near Tobruk for fuel," another Tweet continues. "At least 14 newly unmarked Russian aircraft are then delivered to Al Jufra Air Base in Libya."

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zo...-libya-as-satellite-images-reveal-new-details

 

[Oceanmachine]

Why is this a US or Italian or French concern? Or German?

 

[GhostZ06]

Why is this a US or Italian or French concern? Or German?

russian expansion in the middle east and its dangerously close to the EU oil supply lines.

 

[Oceanmachine]

russian expansion in the middle east and its dangerously close to the EU oil supply lines.

Where have I heard this fear mongering before? Oh no!!! Lol like they want to takeover or attack

 

[Roaming East]

Holy Fuck if the Russians are still flying MiG-23's in a combat capacity. Thats the saddest thing ive read all week.

 

[MicroBrew]

Libya is a clusterfcuk of nations backing the GNA or Haftar's LNA.

Hafter is very likely a CIA asset or ally, since he is an dual American citizen and lived in Langely, Virginia , the home of the CIA.

France, Britain , UAE, Egypt, Saudi , US (very limited capacity) and...Russia support Haftar.
Turkey supports the UN recognized government of Libya that Hafter is fighting.

Weird seeing Western Europe and UAE align with Russia to support Hafter, while Turkey that is a NATO member and is sort of getting along with Russia in Syria is opposing Russia in Libya.

GNA is accused of being Islamist sympathising. Hafter is perceived to be anti Islamist. So ofcourse Turkey , with Erdogan at the helm, is supporting GNA. And Turkey has made deals with the GNA on maritime boundaries, which has peeved off the Greeks and Cypriots.

If GNA wins, expect an Islamic supremacist Libya. The US does not seem to be doing anything susbtantial to help Haftar.

 

[PrinceOfPain]

Good. The US has been pretty useless since helping to initiate that mess.

 

[grimballer]

How dare they do that?

only NATO members n their allies are allowed to do that!

 

[jonharrison]

russian expansion in the middle east and its dangerously close to the EU oil supply lines.

Not to mention that this, combined with Russia’s demand for a Mediterranean port from the Syrian government, would allow them to threaten the Suez Canal whenever they wanted. That could be disastrous for European trade.

 

[cincymma79]

Not to mention that this, combined with Russia’s demand for a Mediterranean port from the Syrian government, would allow them to threaten the Suez Canal whenever they wanted. That could be disastrous for European trade.

Not our problem
Guess Europe better stand up an army/navy that can defend itself

 

[jonharrison]

Not our problem
Guess Europe better stand up an army/navy that can defend itself

It’s absolutely our problem. Destabilization in Europe directly threatens American economic, and national security, objectives. Not to mention that the Suez is also used by America as well. Any increase of Russian presence in the Med needs to be taken very seriously by the US.

 

[cincymma79]

It’s absolutely our problem. Destabilization in Europe directly threatens American economic, and national security, objectives. Not to mention that the Suez is also used by America as well. Any increase of Russian presence in the Med needs to be taken very seriously by the US.

Russia isn't a naval threat to us. We're fine. Europe is going to want to have some ships to throw at it since were such an evil empire and all, surely they don't want us there

 

[Mr Holmes]

Hopefully they can clean up Obama/Hillary's mess

 

[Billy no mates]

Well we fucked about with Libya for a bit and even had some Libyan recruits training at a local barracks as part of the rebuilding process , they were allegedly the best of the 'good guys' over there but discipline was awful they were continually going AWOL,stealing from local shops and homes their stay in the UK peaked with a night out in Cambridge that saw a series of public order offences,sexual assaults and rape , so if the Russians want to sort the fuckers out then good luck to em .

 

[jonharrison]

Russia isn't a naval threat to us. We're fine. Europe is going to want to have some ships to throw at it since were such an evil empire and all, surely they don't want us there

It’s not about Russia threatening US warships, it’s about them destabilizing Europe economically. They are putting themselves into a position where they can control the flow of oil and economic goods from the Indian Ocean to Europe. Our sphere of influence is weakened when Europe is weak, and that isn’t just my opinion, it’s been policy since the 1950s. What happens to the US if Russia extends their sphere of influence throughout Europe and China continues to push into Africa and South East Asia?

 

[cincymma79]

It’s not about Russia threatening US warships, it’s about them destabilizing Europe economically. They are putting themselves into a position where they can control the flow of oil and economic goods from the Indian Ocean to Europe. Our sphere of influence is weakened when Europe is weak, and that isn’t just my opinion, it’s been policy since the 1950s. What happens to the US if Russia extends their sphere of influence throughout Europe and China continues to push into Africa and South East Asia?

We're too evil to be allowed to take over
We have to let China and Russia take over

 

[Mr Holmes]

What happens to the US if Russia extends their sphere of influence throughout Europe and China continues to push into Africa and South East Asia?

What do you think will happen?

 

[Misanthropist]

Why is this a US or Italian or French concern? Or German?

The whole south east Mediterannean countries are actively involved in the conflict because of the EastMed pipeline project.

https://www.trtworld.com/europe/tur...-eastmed-pipeline-deal-signed-in-athens-32668

Russia and the eastern Mediterannean countries (Italy, Greece-Cyprus, France, Egypt and Israel) are supporting military junta Haftar who support it.

Turkey is against it because they would be in a risk of losing their EEZ zone as the pipeline goes through it to Israel and Greece would have the upper hand over the island dispute so they support the Tripoli government to thwart their project.

The new wave of Russian deployment came after Turkey’s intense drone bombardment against Haftar’s force in the last 2 weeks.

‘Largest drone war in the world': How airpower saved Tripoli

LNA's goal of seizing the capital abruptly ended after Turkey's intervention with its supply of armed Bayraktar drones.

Turkey's intervention

That all changed in December 2019 when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed Turkey would sharply increase its military support for al-Serraj and the GNA.

Along with troops, Erdogan sent Turkish-made armed drones, namely the Bayraktar TB2. Smaller and with a much shorter range than the Wing Loong, the Bayraktar was still able to engage and destroy the LNA's ground targets, harass its supply lines, and attack forward air bases that were once considered safe. Pro-government ground troops could now advance with air cover, the enemy's positions known to their commanders.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...-superiority-changed-war-200527135230131.html

 

[jonharrison]

What do you think will happen?

I think the US will lose its prestige on the world’s stage. I think our access to markets and resources outside our own borders will become limited, which will also limit our economic ambitions. I believe our national security will suffer. Essentially we will become economically weak, in a position where our defense will be outsourced, and with little hope of ever recovering to our former position.

 

[jonharrison]

We're too evil to be allowed to take over
We have to let China and Russia take over

Look, I get the point you’re trying to make, but if Russia is allowed to control the Med, it will hurt the United States. Allowing Europe to become dependent on Russia just because they act snooty towards the US is cutting off our nose to spite our face.