Libya is playing a key role in Russia's efforts to expand its influence in the region. According to Emadeddin Badi, an expert at the Atlantic Council, Libya's involvement is part of a long-standing strategy by Moscow to establish a strategic foothold in the area.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/11/russia-eyes-libya-to-replace-syria-as-africa-launchpad-a87573German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of circumventing sanctions by using a "shadow fleet" of tankers with opaque ownership or inadequate insurance to continue exporting oil. The number of ships in this fleet has increased since the start of the war in Ukraine, according to the Atlantic Council think tank. In response, Western countries have imposed restrictions on these ships, including over 70 sanctioned by the European Union and around 180 more targeted by the United States and Britain.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/11/germany-races-to-secure-stricken-russian-shadow-fleet-oil-tanker-a87572