Russian naval vessels have arrived in Tobruk, Libya, following a visit to Egypt, the press service of the General Command of the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced on Monday.
Two Pacific Fleet ships, the Slava-class guided missile cruiser Varyag and the Udaloy-class frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, are set to spend three days at the Libyan naval base.
“As part of strengthening relations between the LNA command and Russia, a group of Russian warships, including the guided missile cruiser Varyag and the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, arrived in Tobruk after completing their visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt,” the LNA statement said.
It added that the visit is part of steps to strengthen cooperation between the countries, including the deployment of 250 students and officers to military academies in Russia, 100 of whom will attend naval institutions.
The General Staff of the LNA’s naval forces explained that the visit aims to confirm cooperation and coordination between the Libyan and Russian fleets in training, technical maintenance, logistical support, exchange of experience and information, and maritime security collaboration.
The Varyag and Marshal Shaposhnikov visited the Egyptian port of Alexandria on June 10-14. Festive events were held on the ships to celebrate Russia Day, and Russian and Egyptian military forces carried out joint exercises on June 14. The drills focused on practicing joint maneuvering techniques, testing communication systems, and enhancing technical cooperation.
Meanwhile, the West African state of Mali is seeking to rapidly enhance its military capabilities with Russia’s help, Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop has said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
At the beginning of June, a high-ranking delegation from the Russian Defense Ministry, led by Deputy Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, visited Niger and Mali. According to Diop, the visit reflects Mali’s desire to expedite the implementation of its plan to boost military and defense potential.
“This visit also continues the dialogue on strengthening the strategic military partnership between our two countries,” the Malian minister stated. The partnership is centered on “strengthening the combat capabilities of Mali’s defense and security forces to achieve greater autonomy, as well as a program for procuring military equipment,” he noted.