African gateway: Russia funnels military equipment through Libyan port of Tobruk

Russian ships have been unloading thousands of tons of military equipment in the eastern Libyan port of Tobruk this month, according to the military news website DefenseNews. The shipments arrived from the Russian-controlled port of Tartus in Syria roughly 700 miles to the east.

Video released by Libyan news site Fawasel Media showed artillery, armored personnel carriers and rocket launchers being delivered by the landing ships Ivan Gren and Aleksandr Otrakovskiy.

The deliveries come after repeated visits by Russia’s deputy defense minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov to General Khalifa Haftar, the strongman running eastern Libya.

Russia recently initiated the deployment of its troops under the banner of the “African Corps” in southern Libya and the equipment is reportedly intended to support them, as well as Russia’s growing military presence in the east of the country.

However, some of the equipment is likely destined for countries further south in Africa like Niger, Mali, Central African Republic and Burkina Faso where Russia has built close relations with post-coup military regimes and is expanding its presence and influence.