| Year of first involvement | Country | Nature of involvement | Further information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Libya | Sustained involvement | Wagner personnel were deployed in October 2018 to offer technical assistance and weapons to the Libyan National Army.[1] Up to 1,000 Wagner fighters took part in the advance of the leader of the
Libyan National Army (LNA), General Khalifa Haftar, against the UN-backed government in Tripoli in 2019-20.[2] The offensive failed. After a ceasefire was agreed in October 2020, instead of leaving the country as stipulated,[3] Wagner became a “logistics platform” to serve Russian interests, retaining control of military bases like Al-Khadim, Jufra, Qardabiyah and Brak al-Shati.[4] There were estimated to be around 2,000 Wagner staff in the country in 2021.[5] Wagner has been heavily involved in holding and guarding oilfields, training the LNA and establishing air bridges.[6] The network’s activities in Libya “have been multifarious, ranging from specialised military operations, physical security provision at Libya’s oil facilities, political advisory services, and social media influence operations”.[7] |
- ↑ All Eyes on Wagner, ‘Libya: Wagner Group’s logistics platform’ (accessed 16 July 2023)
- ↑ Anonymous (WGN0014)
- ↑ CIR open-source research. See also Democracy & Human Rights Foundation (WGN0011); Anonymous (WGNO0014); Letter dated 8 March 2021 from the Panel of Experts on Libya established pursuant to resolution 1973 (2021) addressed to the President of the Security Council 5/2021/229, para 97
- ↑ All Eyes on Wagner, ‘Libya: Wagner Group’s logistics platform’ (accessed 16 July 2023)
- ↑ All Eyes on Wagner, ‘Libya: Wagner Group’s logistics platform’ (accessed 16 July 2023)
- ↑ CIR open-source research
- ↑ Anonymous (WWGN0014)
