On 12 September, CNN published a report on the presence of Ukrainian drone operators embedded in Africa, citing a Ukrainian naval drone operator deployed in Libya who said his unit was using the international military base in Misrata as a launchpad to attack Russia’s shadow fleet in exchange for training local forces. CNN notes that while the Ukrainian presence in Libya was never officially confirmed by the Ukrainian government after reporting by RFI earlier this year, it is now an open secret.
Later the same day, the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) Ministry of Defence ‘categorically denied’ allowing the use of the Misrata military base, or any other western Libyan military facility, to target foreign parties or interests. The Ministry also confirmed that it has not granted any foreign party permission to use Libyan lands, facilities, airspace, or territorial waters to carry out hostile acts against any country or entity, and that none of the national military installations have been allocated or employed for this purpose.