On 10 October, GIS published a report by analyst Federica Saini Fasanotti under the title ‘The Wagner group’s web in Libya’. In her report, Fasanotti looks at Russia’s expanding influence in Libya through the Wagner group, arguing that Moscow will likely keep using private military actors to maintain its presence and leverage in Africa. According to Fasanotti, Russia’s growing presence in the African continent, through the Wagner group, fulfills not only strategic needs, but primarily economic ones, with Russia now supplying arms to 21 African nations. More specifically in oil-rich Libya, a strong presence supports Russian giants like Gazprom Neft, Tatneft, and Russian Railways. Fasanotti concludes that Russia is most likely to maintain its presence in Libya through mercenaries like Wagner, rather than the Russian military.
Read the full report here.