On 8 June, Admiral Credendino gave an interview to the leading Italina newspaper Corriere della Sera, commenting on rumours that Russia was about to transfer a number of ships and assets from Syria to eastern Libya. Credendino, who commanded EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia off the coast of Libya in 2015-2016, confirmed that Russian naval activity around the port of Derna has recently intensified, though Moscow is apparently still ‘trying’ to make its presence permanent via negotiations with eastern Libya authorities. Credendino called the possibility of a permanent Russian base in eastern Libya ‘a tragedy’ for Italy, whose ships operating off the Libyan coast are systematically ‘shadowed by a Russian spy ships, often disguised as a fishing vessel, but in reality loaded with sensors and antennas.’
