Fleet of Russian 'ghost ships' circle Europe as Putin 'aids warlords and spreads terror'
EXCLUSIVE: Putin's fleet of Russian 'ghost ships' stand accused of aiding brutal warlords in an attempt to grow Russian's influence in the southern Mediterranean to encircle and squeeze Europe
The Kremlin has recruited a fleet of “ghost ships” to dodge detection and supply warlords – accused of "crimes against humanity" – with weaponry. It comes in an apparent attempt to spread Russian influence and encircle Europe.
According to the EU and US, Russia's fleet of ghost ships have allowed the country to evade sanctions on the sale of its oil. These ships employ a range of tricks to manipulate their AIS system to avoid detection and appear in locations which they aren’t. Russia has also been accused of using these ghost ships to smuggle weapons, money and military personnel into Libya directly aiding the Head of the Libyan army, the warlord Khalifa Haftar.
Western officials have not deemed Haftar an international pariah despite forces under Haftar’s control being guilty of “crimes against humanity” by a United Nations report. Alongside this, Amnesty International has accused a militia led under Haftar’s son of engaging in murder, torture and rape.
El Gomati, the Sadeq Institute director has called these weapon smuggling operations “a testament to Western strategic negligence.” The Director has been unequivocal in highlighting these operations don’t just affect Libya but also undermine European security.
He noted: “Russia has been constructing a military node that is not only capable of destabilizing Libya but also threatens European security 400 miles from NATO’s shores.”
These smuggling operations also brought to light growing European concerns on Russia’s influence to project power across the Mediterranean and several African countries.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Star, security and intelligence expert Professor Anthony Glees, of the University of Buckingham revealed how serve these security concerns were to the UK,US and the EU.
The professor noted Libya the importance of the country due to its geopolitical position in the south of the Mediterranean. The north African country boarding various states in the Sahel which reach from Senegal and the Atlantic Ocean and states which reach out to the Red Sea.
The Professor said Putin’s greater aim is to establish “a ring of client states in the Maghgreb and the Sahel” supported by this fleet of ghost ships lurking in the Black Sea. “I suspect the Americans do in fact know about the Russian ghost ships but don't want to appear to know because they don't want to do anything about them.
“Biden knew all this was going on but was not in a position to do anything to stop Putin. What's more Putin in providing arms to General Khalifa Haftar is claiming not just to be supporting Haftar in his (alleged) campaign against two Islamist groups in Libya, Al Qaeda in Libya and Islamic State in Libya) but can also count on the support of Egypt.”
The security expert noted Putin’s main objective is to resurrect the Soviet Union and use his growing influence in North Africa from the Southern Mediterranean to encircle Europe. This encirclement from the east and the south would allow for Putin to essentially “squeeze” the EU and Europe at his will.
The security expert broke down his perceived aims of the Russian President adding: “In Putin's mind, the next decades are going to see a landgrabbing Russia dominant and dictatorial in Europe and North Africa, landgrabbing Trump and Vance dominant and dictatorial in North America and Greenland and Xi taken on Taiwan and ruling the Asia-Pacific."