From the early 1970s until the overthrow of Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011, Russia and Libya enjoyed close relations. During the Cold War, Libya played an essential role as a base for Soviet interests in the Mediterranean. While Putin — unlike Italy and France — always supported the dictatorship of Libya, Moscow joined Western-led arms sanctions in 2011. Unlike Syria, where certain restrictions meet Russia, Moscow is more active in Libya. An important player in Libya, Russia is to be reckoned with by Western powers, in the North Africa region and globally.

Source: Libya Today December 25, 2019 04:41 UTC