American magazine: Russia is benefiting from the spree of oil corruption in Libya, and the leaders of the scene are only thinking about the spoils
The American magazine “Newsweek” confirmed that Russia is currently seeking to benefit from the spate of oil corruption in Libya, adding that the leaders of the scene in Libya after the February catastrophe are only thinking about the spoils, even if it is at the expense of the state’s interest.
The American magazine explained that what was recently revealed by the Canadian police, regarding the conspiracy hatched by two former United Nations employees in Montreal to sell Chinese drones to Libya in violation of United Nations sanctions, as well as to export millions of barrels of Libyan crude oil to China at a very reduced price, in In exchange for millions of dollars in commissions, it reveals the seriousness of the situation in Libya.
It added, “Reaching a political agreement in Libya is very far-fetched, because it must be accompanied by an economic deal, and the Libyan oil sector is a major focus in a massive wave of corruption in which broad international parties are implicated.”
It pointed out that for more than a decade, and especially in the past eighteen months, political elites have been working across the divide to divide Libyan institutions and their budgets among themselves, as well as all kinds of black market fiefdoms, so that they can all share in the Libyan spoils.
It continued, “It seems that Bathily discovered this early, when he found that the Libyan parties currently on the scene had no incentive to change the current situation or turn off the taps of networks of patronage, special interests, and corruption.”
It pointed out that all of this comes at a time when Russia is seeking to establish a Russian naval base in Tobruk, as part of Moscow’s attempts to control Libyan oil resources, and to expand smuggling activities as a main source of funds and to become weak points against Europe, or to disrupt shipping in the manner of the Houthis in the Red Sea.
The magazine warned that Moscow is exploiting the penetration of corruption in an increasingly widespread manner in order to finance this widespread corruption within the Libyan oil sector to finance its various operations, noting that the strengthening of its activities is not limited to its allies in Libya, such as the family of the American Haftar, but rather Moscow is now able to access budgets. Subsidiary companies of the National Oil Corporation and control of private banks that hold the corporation’s funds.
It went on to say, “Russia also helped Haftar print the counterfeit 50 dinar note in large quantities, which Wagner elements were able to convert into dollars on the Libyan black market in order to finance their activities in sub-Saharan Africa.”
The magazine revealed that Wagner mercenary fighters are personally participating in the high-speed fuel smuggling operation that is sweeping Libya, in a trade amounting to billions of dollars, stressing that this oil corruption also involves global energy giants, which constitutes an element of Western collusion, according to it.
It concluded by saying, “The foxes in Libya have paid themselves money for a very long time to guard the chicken coop, which has made them never satisfied with the extended meal of corruption.”
