Chef and cook. Part is fourth.

Investigation of how Russia is involved in the Civil War in Libya

The material was prepared in conjunction with the Dossier Center and The Daily Beast

In Libya, there is a Russian military contingent, led by Airborne Troops, andrei Kholzakov, follows from the correspondence of the emissaries of the “Kremlin cook” Evgeny Prigozhin. "Project" talks about the secret operation of Russians to reconstruct this North African country

The material contains non -normative vocabulary

- Well, what w *** a, additional ****. Fiercely you lit up, and we will ask you like with ** and, Alaverds. Get ready.

A letter with this threat was the correspondent of Project on August 29. It was signed by a fictional name and sent from an unknown address registered on a free service, but it came at the same time as the “investigation” of the “project” with the Russian opposition was published on the website of the FANA FOREVIENSION.

The day before, the correspondents of the Project were associated with Prigozhin’s representative to ask questions about Russia's participation in the Civil War in Libya.

Arrest

On the night of May 17 - already in the morning - several jeeps with armed people drove up to Tripoli to a private house. They broke the gate into the courtyard, broke into the room, pushed into cars and took away two Russians in an unknown direction, which for several months rented this house. These Russians are the St. Petersburg political strategist Maxim Shugali and a medical translator from Moscow, a graduate of Arabic RUDN of Arab origin Samer Suifan-both employees of Prigozhin (the picture of the detention was reproduced according to the stories of Alexander Malkevich and Alexander Prokofiev, political strategists, cooperating with Prigozhin).

Together with another Russian - political strategist Alexander Prokofiev - March 14 this year they flew from Moscow to Istanbul, and then to Libya. After two months of business trip, Prokofiev flew out of Libya on vacation. So he escaped the detention.

Since then, the Russians have been in the Libyan captivity - they are being kept under arrest in a prison located near the Tripoli airport. This prison is controlled by the Agency for Combating Organized Crime (a structure formally subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Government of the National Consent of Libya), which is led by Abd Ar-Rauf Kara, the field commander of one of the armed groups operating in the Libyan capital (this information is cited by the political strategist Malkevich-the President of the Fund for the Protection of National Values, and the organization created in 2019 as in 2019 as “Umbrella” for the actions of specialists associated with Prigogin, it is confirmed by numerous publications in foreign media). They are not charged with an official prosecution.

Such was the final of the undeclared intervention of Russia in the Civil War, which has not subsided in Libya since 2014. The leak of documents from the “backing office” (hereinafter-the “Libyan dossier”) Prigozhin (previously “Project” already talked about the work of the so-called “backing” in St. Petersburg -it is from there that the entire foreign work of Prigozhin’s people is coordinated) allows the first time to evaluate the scale of this intervention. The documents were received during 2019 from sources familiar with Prigozhin’s activities in Libya, some of the facts told in the documents is confirmed by the words of other interlocutors, including Prigozhin’s employees. The work of Russians mentioned in the documents (including in metadata of these files) on Prigozhin is confirmed by open information, information from accounts on social networks or sources. (The editors do not publish documents entirely for considerations of the safety of sources).

Russian landing

Until this day, almost nothing was known about the presence of Russian regular troops in Libya, where the bloody civil conflict continues. In 2017-2018, Western and some Russian media talked with reference to anonymous sources about sending Russian paratroopers to Libya (in particular, the British tabloid The Sun and the Russian edition of RBCs wrote about this. They, according to journalists, helped the Libyan armed forces in the east, fighting the UN recognized by the UN Government in the national consent of the National Consent to the Government of the National Consistent Tripoli (the structures of the latter were involved in the arrest of Russians).

According to the correspondence of the emissaries of Prigozhin in Libya, in this country there is a “grouping of the Armed Forces” of Russia, headed by the deputy airborne for the Airborne Forces Andrei Kholzakov (in the array of documents that the editorial staff was studied, Holzakov was mentioned twice in this capacity. “Project” sent questions about the actions of the Russian group under the command of Holzakov to the press service of the Ministry of Defense, but did not receive an answer). The 57-year-old lieutenant general has a great combat and foreign experience: he fought in Afghanistan and Chechnya, commanded the Russian military base in Gyumri (Armenia). The interlocutor in the Union of Russia's paratroopers confirmed that Holzakov was on a mission in Libya, but refused to disclose the mission details, saying that this information was classified. (The editors sent a request to the press service of the Airborne Forces, but at the time of the publication they did not receive an answer. The head of the State Duma Committee on Defense and former Commander-in-Chief of the Airborne Forces, Vladimir Shamanov, refused to comments.)

Source: ruspekh.ru

Andrey Holzakov

Deputy Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General.

According to the official biography, he performed a military duty in Afghanistan twice, participated in a counter -terrorism operation in the North Caucasus (surgery to overlap the Chechen border with Georgia in 1999).

In 2013, the deputy commander of the Airborne Forces was appointed.

He was awarded two orders of the Red Star, two orders of courage, the Order of Military Merit, as well as the Jubilee Medal of the Ministry of Defense "In memory of the 25th anniversary of the end of hostilities in Afghanistan."

In 2016, he was elected the head of the Udmurt Fostedics Public Organization.

In one of the episodes that happened on April 4, 2019, the Libyan group of employees Prigozhin reports to Russia that the command of the National Army of Field Marshal Caliphs Haftar (about him below) turned to the “commander of the group” Holzakov with a request to “highlight the calculation of UAV (unmanned lethal apparatus. -“ project ”” to detect artillery positions) enemy and their destruction. As follows from the report, Holzakov refused this request.

Documents do not contain evidence that now Russian regular units are involved in hostilities in Libya. However, there are references to the fact that the Russians helped Haftar during an operation in the city of Dern: in 2018, the Haftar army - possibly with the help of Russians - cleaned this city in the east of Libya from Islamists ( RIA Novosti wrote about this operation ) . Perhaps the Russians who participated in operations in Skin are not operating military personnel, but employees of a private military company affiliated with Prigozhin, in the press, better known as “Wagner Group” (previously The Telegraph , referring to sources, talked about the participation of Russian mercenaries in the events in Stern).

Most likely, the headquarters of the Russian group in Libya is located in Bengham - the port city in the east of Libya, controlled by the Haftar army, says the interlocutor familiar with the actions of the Prigozhin team in Libya. This is indirectly confirmed by correspondence, which mentions the repeated requests of the Haftar to relocate the “Russian headquarters” closer to the front line, which is located to the west of Benghazi-for example, in El Jufra. In addition to ground funds, the headquarters are protected by air defense forces, follows from correspondence.

The number of Russian military contingent in Libya is not unknown. However, the documents contain information about the number of auxiliary unit engaged in the repair of military equipment for the Haftar army (this detachment can be equipped with both Prigozhin companies and the personnel military - this is definitely not clear from the correspondence). Two documents say about the presence of 23 repair specialists in Libya. Correspondence also contains data on the number of restored military equipment transferred by the Russians Haftaru (see illustration). From the correspondence it follows that for repair from Russia new components and units are delivered. Since October 17, 2018, Russia purchased spare parts in the amount of 18.8 million rubles, follows from the document, which states that its author is Valery Chekalov, who, according to media publications, is associated with the so -called “Wagner group” (a group of Russian mercenaries sponsored by Prigozhin).

Prigozhynis report on renovated military equipment

New Russian weapons are also received by the Haftar, according to the correspondence of the Prigozhenites. “Three airplanes/departure IL-76 are performed daily for the delivery of Russian weapons from the UAE through Jordania,” one of the documents said. The traces of this “Air Bridge” were discovered on July 26, 2019, when two IL-76 military transport aircraft were burned in the vicinity of the enemy, which could transport weapons for the Haftar troops-the incident occurred in the territory controlled by the Haftar, the flights were finally performed from the UAE, and the fact of the shelling and destruction of the courts confirmed the aviation authorities of Ukraine, where Aircraft were registered.

Burnt aircraft IL-76. Source: bmpd.livejournal.com

By registration numbers, it can be established that the Ukrainian company Europe Air was the operator of aircraft. Among other companies, it could be used for the transit of Russian cargo to the Middle East and North Africa.

Until August 2016, Jidip Mirchindani was the founder of Europe Air, follows from the base of Ukrainian legal entities. He is also known as the founder and executive director of the Sky One with an OAE office. Mirchindani was born in India, studied as an engineer in Baku and freely owns English and Russians, said on the Sky One website. Mirchanandani had airline business in Britain and Russia, follows from the register of legal entities of these countries.

In 2014, the US authorities included Mirchindani and his family members, as well as several companies belonging to him in the list of persons acting contrary to the national interests of the United States. According to Washington, the Mirchanandan family was involved in the Syrian regime support activities, and the company associated with the Mirchindan delivered “a large number of Russian currency to the Syria government” (in 2016, Mirchindani were excluded from this list after the appeal).

The studied documents allow us to conclude that the actions of the “Prigogine” in Libya are at least consistent with the military and political leadership of Russia. Several reports on the military-political situation in the country are addressed to the "leadership of the Ministry of Defense" or personally to the Minister Sergei Shoigu. Another series of documents is devoted to the plan in Sochi a large international conference on political settlement in Libya. Sochi is a favorite place for Vladimir Putin, where he often holds important international meetings. For many years, Prigozhin also accompanied the president there - a few years ago he did not hesitate to personally serve the first -person’s feasts in the Bocharov residence with a stream, says the interlocutor who has repeatedly been in the residence and saw Prigozhin there. As a high -ranking Russian politician previously told the “project”, Prigozhin “of course, coordinates” his foreign policy actions with Putin (read the actions of Prigozhin in other countries of Africa here and here ) )).

In everyday work in Libya, Prigozhin’s delegates also interact with the military: in the documents there are more than once reports on contacts with military experts of the Ministry of Defense (for example, in one case, a military expert evaluates the chances of capturing Tripoli by the Haftar troops, in the other - the Russian military command requests a plan for his military operations from the Haftar).

Return of Gaddafi

- The situation in the world is complex, Dima. You can lose the country.

- Well, why, why will I lose?

- Yes, because a very difficult situation in the world, Dima. Gaddafi Von also thought that he would not lose. And the Americans were more cunning.

According to the writer Mikhail Zygar, about such a conversation could take place in 2011 between then Prime Minister Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev during fishing under Astrakhan (the dialogue is quoted by the book “All the Kremlin’s army”). That is how, Zygar claims, Putin forced Medvedev to leave the president’s post and provide him, Putin, the opportunity to run for the presidency for a third term.

Meeting of Vladimir Putin and Muammar Gaddafi in Moscow, 2008. Source: Premier.gov.ru

It is impossible to confirm the authenticity of the conversation, but it is known that the fate of the late leader of the Libyan Jamahiria Muammar Gaddafi did not give Putin peace and played an important role in his decision to return to the Kremlin. Gaddafi was overthrown during the so -called “Arab spring” of 2011 and was brutally killed by the crowd while trying to flee from Tripoli. For the first time, Putin and Medvedev publicly clashed because of Libya, when the international coalition intervened in the civil war there on the side of the opponents of Gaddafi. Medvedev considered the UN resolution on Libya correctly, and Moscow did not apply a veto. Upon learning of this, Prime Minister Putin publicly criticized the position of Russia, and Medvedev harshly answered him. After that dive, the security forces, surrounded by Putin, advised him to return to power, wrote Zygar and previously confirmed the interlocutors of the Project surrounded by both leaders. Putin personally watched the notorious video execution of Caddafi with an armed crowd and was furious from what he saw and “Medvedev’s weakness”, said a federal politician who communicated with the president and prime minister.

Now, after 8 years, Russia decided to build a new relationship with Gaddafi, only with a safe al-Islam, the son of the murdered ruler of Libya, who has an ambition to return to his family power in the country, follows from the correspondence of Russians who worked in Libya.

By the end of 2018, Russia made the main bet in Libya on a haftar, it follows from several documents that the editorial office familiarized themselves: he came to meetings in Moscow, visited the Russian warship in the Mediterranean Sea and generally is in constant contact with the Shoigu department.

However, over the past months, the emissaries of Prigozhin working with the Haftar criticize him, reporting to the center, that the field marshal is too arrogant, is inadequate in assessing the situation, he does not have enough resources to capture Tripoli, and, finally, he can hardly be a long -term partner “due to the progressive oncological disease”. However, the main complaint against Haftar is not intending to abandon American citizenship, his family lives in the United States, and Marshal himself is negotiating with European and Arab countries, while accepting Russian assistance. “There is serious reason to believe that in the case of its military-political victory, Haftar will not be loyal to the interests of Russia,” summarizes Prigozhin in a document entitled “for the Ministry of Defense”. “It is proposed to strengthen the position of the western part of Libya for leveling risks, uniting all forces under the safe of Gaddafi,” the author of the report continues.

Contacts with a safe began at the turn of 2018-2019, follows from several documents that the editorial offices familiarized with - Prigozhin's delegates at least once met with Gaddafi personally, and also conducted telephone conversations with him. The meeting was held in Zintan, a city in the west of Libya, in early 2019. One of the documents indicates that the meeting place is kept secret. This is due to the fact that for several years he allegedly served in a Libyan prison, international accusations have not yet been removed - he is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for the crimes of his father's reign.

Caliph Haftar

Supreme Commander -in -Chief of the Armed Forces of Libya

Before the war with Chad (1987), he was a friend and supporter of the ex-leader of Libya Muammar Gaddafi. The latter called him a son, and himself as a spiritual father.

Haftar speaks the Russian language; In the late 70s and early 80s, he was trained in the USSR twice (he graduated from the “Shot” officer courses, and was also a student of courses at the M.V. Frunze Academy). Haftar took part in a military coup organized by Gaddafi in 1969.

During the war with a child in which Libya was defeated, Haftar was appointed commander in chief of the Libyan troops. The result of the war was thousands of killed Libyan military, as well as the capture of the Haftar. After the official renunciation of Gaddafi from prisoners, Haftar called for a coup in Libya and joined the opposition organization “National Front of Salvation of Libya”, supported by the CIA. He later headed the military wing of the "National Front of Salvation of Libya."

Subsequently, the American intelligence agencies took Haftar in the United States, where he received citizenship. Until recently, at least part of his family lived in the United States.

In February 2011, Haftar arrived in Benghazi, where, in connection with the arrest of human rights activist Fathi Terbil, a popular uprising began. Haftar was appointed commander of the ground forces of the rebels and subsequently became a key figure for the rebel forces in the east of the country.

Already after the overthrow of Gaddafi, in 2014, Haftar made two attempts by the coup, including urging the Libyan people to oppose the elected parliament - the Universal National Congress. In May of that year, Haftar announced the beginning of the military operation “Dignity of Libya”, directed against radical Islamists in Benghazi and in the east of the country. Only two years later (in February 2016), his army was able to recapture Benghazi and reach the city of Shern.

In 2016, a military council was formed, the head of which was appointed Caliph Haftar. Later he was awarded the title of Field Marshal. Since 2016, since 2016 has been in constant contact with Moscow: I met with Russian representatives - Secretary Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Already in 2017, the media wrote about Russia's decision to arm Field Marshal Haftar. The supply of Russian armored personnel carriers, ammunition and modern devices for listening and observation were supposed.

In October 2018, New Gazeta reported the presence of Russian contractors and special forces of the Russian Federation in Libya. A month later, during the next visit to Moscow, Haftar met with the head of the Ministry of Defense of Shoigu, the head of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense Valery Gerasimov, as well as businessman Evgeny Prigozhin. According to The Telegraph, in 2019, several hundred mercenaries from the Wagner PMC were seen in Bengham. According to the newspaper, they arrived there to support Haftar operations.

Safe al-Islam Gaddafi

The second son of Muammar Gaddafi.

Born in 1972, and received education, including abroad, in Switzerland and Great Britain.

During the reign of his father, he was engaged in social and charitable activities on behalf of the Gaddafi family.

During the Arab Spring, he actively supported the side of Muammar Gaddafi.

In 2011, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant. The cessation of the warrant has not been reported since then.

At the end of 2011, the safe was detained by the Abu Bakr al-Siddick group in the Libyan city of Zintan while trying to flee to Niger. He was under arrest in the Zintan area: the safe was not issued to either the international bodies or the government in Tripoli.

In 2014, Gaddafi was accused in absentia by the trophy court of war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with murders, presumably committed during the Libyan uprising. A year later, he was sentenced to death.

In the summer of 2017, Gaddafi was released in connection with the adopted Provisional Government of Libya by the Law on Amnesty.

Since the end of last year, Russia began to publicly support Gaddafi Jr.. For example, in December 2018, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Mikhail Bogdanov said that the al-Islam safe should be part of the political life of Libya. Even then, Bogdanov noted that Russian representatives are in contact with all groups in Libya.

The report of the Russian delegation about the meeting with the safe on April 3 is especially interesting: the speaker describes the circumstances of the conversation - Gaddafi was constantly distracted, watching the news about the Haftar on TV - and ends with recommendations on further steps. They involve the shooting of Prigozhinians who compromise the video about the Haftar and their distribution in social networks. Prigozhin’s people, according to their own statement, by March 2012, created 12 Arabo -speaking groups on Facebook in Libya - part in the interests of Gaddafi, part - Haftar. In the reports, the techno write that their permanent audience is more than 250,000 people, and the weekly coverage of publications - more than 2,000,000 users.

In another document, the messenger Prigozhin reports that they financially helped the Libyan television company Jamahiria TV, broadcasting from the capital of Egypt in the interests of Gaddafi Jr.: the document says both financial assistance and the fact that the Russians consult Libyan Contained issues. To prove the effectiveness of Prigozhin’s work, even give two pictures of the Jamahiria TV Air Studio - before and after the infusion of Russian money.

In the end, the Prigozhin envoys prepared a set of recommendations for the safe. Among other things, they include the creation of a party for Russia with the preliminary name “Renaissance of Libya”, discrediting opponents of Gaddafi, as well as conducting international actions and flash mobs in his support.

This is one of the options for the Caddafi Party logo prepared by Russians

The “Prigozhiners” connections with Gaddafi are most likely coordinated with official Moscow: in early December 2018, exactly when Prigozhin’s people began to be engaged in, two representatives of the safe met in Moscow with the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Bogdanov . According to Russian state media reports, they handed over to Putin a request to support the political ambitions of Gaddafi and his plan to remove Libya from the crisis.

Separate and rule

In November 2018, political technologists Prigozhin conducted street and telephone sociological surveys in Libya. According to them, the Caddafi safe in the case of the elections wins all rivals, including the Haftar and the head of the Central Government in Tripoli Faiza Saraj (it supports most of the international community).

Slide from the presentation of “Prigogine” about the electoral ratings of the Libyan politicians

However, not limited to two potential candidates, Moscow is also in contact with other field commanders in Libya (one of the documents says that the only influential player who refused to contact the emissaries was Fazaz Saraj, who is afraid that communications with Russia will spoil his image in the West), and sometimes plans to HAFTAR and Gaddafi behind them.

One of the documents openly states that Russia was negotiating with Sudan on the invasion of Libyan territory and an attack on Haftar forces. “An agreement was reached with the head of the rapid response forces of the Republic of Sudan by Mohammad Hamdan Derel“ Hameti ”on possible joint actions in Libya. The interest of the Sudanese side is the defeat of a group of mercenaries from among the Sudanese opposition fighting on the side of the Haftar. The forces of Hameti can in cooperation with the tube (a large tribe in the south of Libya.-“Project”) to level the military-political successes of the Haftar in the south of Libya, forcing the latter to switch to negotiations, ”the document said“ Fill for the Ministry of Defense ”. The activity of Prigozhin in Sudan has long been known. At least one Russian who worked for Prigozhin in Sudan was later involved in Libya (more on this below). Mentioned in the document “Hameti” Derel, an influential field commander in Sudan, whom the BBC calls “the most powerful person” in this country. He is considered responsible, including for the acts of the genocide in the province of Darfur, he also is related to the recent reprisal against demonstrators in the capital of Sudan Hartum .

Mohammad Hamdan Derel “Hameti”. Source: BBC.com

In another case, Russians, dissatisfied with the “narcissistic” behavior of Gaddafi, are thinking about his future. The consequence of the fact that Gaddafi may not be cooperated with the Haftar will become an “arrest and a court in the Hague” (Russian political technologists write).

Their level

Once Polittechnologist, a Polittechnologist, called Prigozhin, sent to the Central African Republic, called the Kremlin cook himself (as the project previously told , each member of the mission in African countries has a mobile phone for Prigozhin. The latter, as the political consultants themselves said, periodically called many employees directly to personally verify their work). The Russian picked up the Russian was so drunk that he could not answer Prigozhin to important questions. For which he was instantly dismissed. This story, which we retell from the words of two unrealed sources, shows not only the degree of involvement in the foreign policy of Prigozhin himself, but also the level of professionalism of many Russian consultants (Project previously told about the background of some political consultants in Africa).

- One of them worked in my regional campaign. I was engaged in posters. This is his level, ”says the Russian political consultant, familiar with the members of the Prigozhin team.

Presentation cover prepared by Prigozhinsky Political Technologists

In the documents of the "Libyan dossier" there are recommendations that look strange. There are ideas rewritten with Russian reality on the creation of the Public Chamber, the Institute of Envoy and even the Public Front in support of the president. To accompany their plans to the media, the technicians invite the Libyans to create four newspapers, two of them should be issued in the form of comics and produced by 20,000 copies.

In Libya, several groups of “Prigogine” worked at the same time or consistently - the detainees were only one of them. The business trips began in October last year (the first “mission” was called the source among employees, and the National Study fund claims that the project started in early 2019). Среди тех, кто принимал участие в «ливийском проекте», был сотрудник «бэк-офиса», россиянин сирийского происхождения Юнес Абазид (судя по его соцсетям, прежде он сотрудничал с Russia Today Arabic). До Ливии он работал в Судане с Михаилом Потепкиным, региональным представителем аффилированной с Пригожиным компании «М-инвест», добывающей на территории этого государства золото, знает источник в структурах Пригожина. Абазид не ответил на запрос редакций.

Еще один человек, работавший на россиян в Ливии — Абдулмаджид Эсхуль, Прокофьев называет его «одним из консультантов». Он — лидер движения «Мандела Ливия» (так его представляет Александр Малькевич). Эта организация как раз занимается поддержкой президентских амбиций Сейфа Каддафи, сравнивая того с Нельсоном Манделой. В стране выпускается газета с таким же названием «Мандела Ливия», а с декабря активна и страница в Facebook . В частности, «Мандела Ливия» опубликовала опрос граждан о том, поддержат ли они Каддафи на президентских выборах. На странице говорилось, что 62 тысячи человек ответили «да». На это обратили внимание в немецком фонде Democracy Reporting International: там пришли к выводу, что большая часть респондентов — фейковые.

После ареста

На следующий день после того, как граждане России были арестованы, проверить их дом пришел ливиец, который помогал им с бытовыми вопросами, описывает коллега задержанных Александр Прокофьев. Ливиец рассказал, что дом был разграблен: вынесено все вплоть до мебели, исчезли личные вещи россиян — ноутбуки, документы, деньги. Пропал и арендованный ими автомобиль. Ливиец позвонил Прокофьеву сообщить, что его коллеги, вероятно, похищены. С помощью соседей, которые стали свидетелями задержания, удалось узнать, что на джипах были логотипы одной из вооруженных группировок из города Мисурата. Больше недели потребовалось на то, чтобы выяснить: россияне в тюрьме.

Максим Шугалей и Александр Прокофьев. Source: VK

Эсхуль и еще один «консультант» Мохаммед Треки позже также были предположительно помещены в ту же тюрьму, утверждают люди Пригожина. За решеткой оказался и сын Эсхуля Азиль (его вскоре выпустили, как утверждает Малькевич, чтобы он передал, что будет с каждым, кто сотрудничает с россиянами), и адвокат, которого наняла супруга Треки. В тюрьме, возможно, оказались как минимум еще и двое ливийцев, живших по соседству с россиянами — глава семьи и один из его домочадцев, утверждают «пригожинцы». Перестали выходить на связь и другие люди, с которыми россияне сотрудничали на территории Ливии; «Мы не знаем достоверно, арестованы они или скрываются», — сказал Прокофьев.

Мохаммед Треки, сын бывшего министра иностранных дел Ливии и председателя генассамблеи ООН, бежавшего в Египет, консультировал россиян, пока они работали в Ливии. После того как Шугалея и Суэйфана арестовали, именно Треки вел от имени их работодателя переговоры, в частности, предположительно встречался с главой правительства национального согласия Сараджем, говорит Прокофьев. Раскрыть содержание переговоров об освобождении сотрудники Пригожина отказываются, объясняя, что это может повредить процессу. Публично в «Фонде защиты национальных ценностей» настаивают на том, что Ливия якобы потребовала от России «заведомо невыполнимых условий»: «направить в Ливию крупную партию вооружений и передать руководству российского МИД «поручения» относительно взаимодействия с Триполи от лица лидеров боевиков».

Шугалей за некоторое время до командировки перенес инсульт, ехал в Ливию с большим пакетом лекарств, рассказал человек в его окружении — в России у него осталась семья. Самер Суэйфан страдает сахарным диабетом. Как говорят в штабе Пригожина, адвоката-ливийца к ним по-прежнему не пускают.

За все время задержания россиян официальная Москва не делала заявлений с требованием освободить граждан России. Хотя на неофициальном уровне попыток добиться этого было много, к делу подключен замминистра иностранных дел Михаил Богданов, рассказывают собеседник среди «пригожинцев» и источник, близкий к ливийским властям. В тюрьме, где сидят политтехнологи, уже фиксировались нарушения прав человека (в тюрьме «Митига» «предположительно находятся 2600 мужчин, женщин и детей, которые подвергаются пыткам, сталкиваются с отказом в медицинской помощи и умирают во время содержания под стражей», писал в апреле этого года Foreign policy. О пытках и незаконных убийствах в этой тюрьме говорилось и в прошлогоднем докладе ООН. В начале этого года расследование нарушений прав человека в «Митиге» начал Международный уголовный суд), россиян там, возможно, пытали (об этом говорит Малькевич).

Пресс-секретарь президента Дмитрий Песков и представитель МИД Мария Захарова не ответили на вопросы «Проекта».

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Президентские выборы в Ливии до сих пор не назначены — они пройдут не раньше 2020 года. Несмотря на задержание россиян политические и военные контакты Москвы и ливийских группировок, возможно, продолжаются: в конце августа Халифа Хафтар предположительно опять побывал в Москве, сообщает французский информационный ресурс Maghreb Confidential .