The presence of ghosts

In Egypt near the village of Sidi-Barrani, about 100 km from the border with Libya, units of Russian special forces and drones are placed. It is reported by Reuters with reference to diplomatic sources.

American diplomats believe that the transfer of forces may be the beginning of the Russian operation to support the commander of the Libyan National Army Field Marshal Caliphs of Haftar, which controls the eastern regions of the country. His forces are fighting with the troops recognized by the West and the UN Government of Prime Minister Faiz Sarraja. On March 3, Haftar was defeated while trying to attack oil terminals in the Benghazi area.

According to Egyptian sources, six Russian military units were transferred to the country by air. After 10 days of parking, the planes delivered them went to Libya.

At the same time, representatives of either the Egypt authorities or the Libyan military leader himself confirmed the information. “There are no soldiers of any foreign state on the territory of Egypt. This is a matter of sovereignty,” said the representative of the Egyptian army of Tamir Ar -Rifai.

The head of the Federation Council Defense Committee Viktor Ozerov called Reuters a message "information duck". According to him, the Russian leadership did not raise the issue of sending Russian military personnel to Egypt or Libya before the Federation Council.

On Sunday, Reuters, citing the head of the Russian "private intelligence company" RSB Oleg Krinitsyna, reported that the company's militantswere operating on the east of Libya on the side of Haftar . In total, in Libya there were several dozen mercenaries from Russia. According to Krinitsyn, they were engaged in the clearance of a certain industrial facility in the area near Benghazi, shortly before that conquered by Haftar from Islamist rebels. Russian militants arrived in Libya last year, and returned back in February, having completed their tasks, the head of the RSB said.

Krinitsyn refused to inform how many mercenaries acted in a North African country. He referred to a commercial secret. At the same time, the head of the RSB noted that about 50 sappers were required to mine, and the same number of people was needed to ensure the safety of work.

Who exactly hired his company and at which facility was carried out, Krinitsyn also did not specify. As the agency noticed in Russian military or nearby circles, it is unlikely that such a transaction take place without the approval of the Russian authorities. The head of the RSB himself denied the cooperation of his company with the Russian Ministry of Defense. At the same time, he stated that the company "advised" the Russian Foreign Ministry. Krinitsyn did not explain and whether the attraction of Russian mercenaries was approved by the UN authorities recognized by the UN.

According to Krinitsyn, his mercenaries had no task to participate in battles. At the same time, the head of the RSB noticed that after arriving in Libya they were armed - which weapons, he did not report. As Reuters notes, the UN imposed an embargo on the supply of weapons to other subjects to this country, except for an international recognized government.

As Krinitsyn said, his mercenaries had previously visited Syria. However, there, according to him, they also did not perform combat missions.

According to Reuters, there is no consensus on the Libyan issue in the Russian leadership. The Foreign Ministry advocates that Haftar has concluded an alliance with the international recognized government of Libya. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense, as well as a number of presidential administration officials, want Field Marshal to take control of his whole country. They argue that it is Haftar that will be able to again unite Libya, which, after the overthrow of the dictator of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, actually broke up into a number of regions that are controlled by various groups warring with each other.

In November last year, Haftar visited Moscow and met with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. In December, he climbed aboard the Russian aircraft carrier (probably refers to Admiral Kuznetsov) and held negotiations with the head of the Ministry of Defense Sergey Shoigu on the video. In recent weeks, 100 wounded Haftar militants were sent to Russia.