Putin: Russians fighting in Libya do not represent the state

BY Libyan Express Jan 11, 2020 - 21:25

Russian president, Vladimir Putin. [Archive – – Reuters]

Russian President Vladimir Putin, asked on Saturday whether mercenaries known as the Wagner Group, were fighting in Libya, said that if there are Russians in Libya, they are not representing the Russian state, nor are they paid by the state.

Russian private military contractors have clandestinely fought in support of Russian forces in Syria and Ukraine, media reports have previously revealed.

The contractors are recruited by a private military group known as Wagner Group whose members are mostly ex-service personnel.

The remarks came in a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Moscow.

The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.