Russia, Belarus, and Libya Orchestrate New Migration Crisis in EU

The Russian government is likely cooperating with Libyan dictator Khalifa Haftar to orchestrate a new wave of migration crisis in the European Union.

The report comes from The Telegraph.

The European Commission has recorded an increase in flights between the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi and Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

The situation could mirror the events of summer 2021, when tens of thousands of migrants, supported by Belarusian authorities, attempted to cross into the EU.

At that time, officials warned that it was a coordinated operation by Russia aimed at destabilizing the European Union. In 2021, just before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a massive influx of migrants appeared at Belarus’s borders with Eastern European countries.

“The frequency and nature of these flights, especially within such a short period, raise questions about possible coordination or facilitation of illegal migration flows,” said a European Commission spokesperson.

Open-source data analyzed by The Telegraph show a sharp increase in the number of flights between Benghazi and Minsk operated by Libya’s national airline over recent months.

In May, there were only two flights between the cities; in June, the number rose to five, and in July, there were four.

Reports indicate that Belarusian officials in migrant camps have been instructing arrivals on how to cross the border undetected.

Analysts believe this was done in coordination with the Kremlin to divert attention from the buildup of Russian troops near Ukraine ahead of the invasion.

In the first seven months of this year, the EU recorded around 5,000 cases of illegal crossings along its eastern land borders. Although this is fewer than last year, the new flights between Libya and Belarus could trigger a new wave of migration.

Some European politicians believe that Putin may use his growing influence in Libya to increase pressure on Europe once again.