Ukrainian Military Establishes Base in Western Libya – Media Reports

According to the report, on March 4, 2026, Moscow accused Ukrainian forces and British intelligence of attacking the Russian tanker 'Arctic Metagaz' off the Libyan coast, which was transporting liquefied natural gas. This vessel is part of Russia's 'phantom fleet,' designed to circumvent sanctions. Loaded with liquefied natural gas, the tanker was navigating the open Mediterranean Sea towards Port Said in Egypt. RFI has now confirmed that the attack was indeed carried out by the Ukrainian army, which has a tangible presence in Libya, specifically in the western part of the country.

Information from two Libyan sources, who spoke to the publication on the condition of anonymity, indicates that over 200 officers and experts from the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been deployed in Libya with the approval of the Tripoli government led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. These Ukrainian military personnel are stationed at three different locations.

Firstly, according to our sources, they are based at the Air Force Academy in Misrata. This large complex houses Turkish and Italian forces, as well as the United States Africa Command (Africom). Additionally, there is a British intelligence center located there. Our sources report that the Ukrainians have another fully equipped base for launching aerial and maritime drones in the city of Zawiya, approximately 50 kilometers north of the capital, near the Mellitah oil complex, one of the largest operational facilities in Libya. Ukrainian experts occupy an area provided to them by the Tripoli government, which has direct access to the sea. In October and November of last year, work was carried out to fortify the facility and equip it with necessary runways and antennas.

According to sources, the third facility is used for coordination meetings between Ukrainian units and the Libyan army. It is located at the headquarters of the 111th Brigade of the army, on the road to Tripoli Airport. The western Libyan army is represented by Abdul Salam al-Zubi, the Deputy Minister of Defense, a position that remains vacant in Dbeibah's government.

According to the same sources, it was at the official request of Ukraine's military attaché in Algeria, General Andriy Bayuk, that Tripoli signed an agreement with a Ukrainian military advisor in October of last year regarding Ukraine's presence in Libya. In return, Tripoli gains the opportunity to conduct training for Libyan military forces, particularly in the use of drones. The long-term agreement also includes provisions for arms sales and Ukrainian investments in Libya's oil sector.

Neither the Ukrainian nor the Libyan government has commented on this information as of yet. The establishment of a Ukrainian military presence in Libya raises significant questions about the implications for regional security and the ongoing conflict within the country, which has been marred by instability since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. As various foreign powers vie for influence in Libya, the involvement of Ukrainian forces could further complicate the already intricate dynamics of the Libyan conflict.