Russia transfers military gear from Syria to Libya via Tartus
The Ukrainian military intelligence reports preparations by Russians to transfer military equipment from Syria to Libya. The operation is to be carried out from the port of Tartus.
"At the naval base in the Syrian city of Tartus, the Russians are waiting for warships to remove equipment and weapons," HUR reported on Telegram.
According to intelligence data, mercenaries from the so-called African Corps controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defence are among those present in Tartus.
Russians want to use cargo ships
The Ukrainian intelligence stated that on 5th January, the large landing ships Ivan Gren and Aleksandr Otrakovsky, as well as the bulk carrier Sparta, are expected in the port of Tartus.
On 8th January, the bulk carrier Sparta II and the tanker Ivan Skobelev are also expected to arrive at this port. "The Russians plan to use the Sparta and Sparta II cargo ships to transport military equipment and weapons from Syria to Libya," HUR conveyed.
Russian-Syrian cooperation
On Tuesday, the director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), Rami Abdulrahman, revealed that following the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime on 8th December 2024, a group of several dozen officers serving in his army was transferred to the eastern part of Libya. Some of them reached this country aboard a Russian military aircraft. These officers likely reached the east of Libya, where Russian mercenaries are stationed at the Al-Khadim airbase.
According to the newspaper "The New Arab," Syrians in divided Libya are expected to support the warlord Khalifa Haftar, who controls the eastern part of the country with an informal capital in Benghazi and remains in opposition to the UN-recognised Government of National Unity based in Tripoli.
Since Assad's overthrow, Russians have launched many flights to the Al-Khadim base, located in the Libyan desert near Benghazi. In early December, the Italian portal ItaMilRadar, which tracks the movements of aeroplanes, ships, and vessels in the Mediterranean Sea, reported that Russia is moving large amounts of military equipment from Syria to eastern Libya, including S-300 and S-400 air defence systems, as well as about 1,000 soldiers from the Fifth Corps and the 25th Special Armoured Division, which have supported Assad's government for years.
