Libya affirmed yesterday, Saturday, its complete rejection of allowing any external parties to use Misrata Air Base to launch attacks, following reports linking it to the war in Ukraine.
The Libyan position came in response to a report by the U.S. network “CNN,” which said that Ukrainian drones had been launched from Misrata military base in northwestern Libya to target Russian tankers in the Mediterranean.
In a statement, the Libyan Ministry of Defense said it had followed what was reported regarding claims that Misrata Air Base was being used as a “launch point for carrying out military operations targeting foreign parties or interests.”
“CNN” quoted a Ukrainian source as saying that Ukrainian drone operators had been present in northwestern Libya since late 2025, while it quoted another source as saying that Misrata Air Base was being used as a “launch point” for drones targeting tankers belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet in the region, in exchange for training Libyan forces.
The Libyan Ministry of Defense categorically “denied” the existence of any agreement or coordination allowing the use of Misrata Air Base or any national military facility to launch attacks or carry out military operations outside the framework of the sovereign missions of the Libyan state.
Earlier in March, the Libyan Ports and Maritime Transport Authority announced that the Russian tanker “Arctic Metagaz,” which was carrying liquefied natural gas, had been hit by explosions followed by a massive fire that led to its complete sinking north of the port of Sirte.
In response, the Russian Ministry of Transport said that the attack on the tanker was carried out from the Libyan coast using naval drones belonging to the Ukrainian Navy.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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Author: Counselor Faisal Al-Mutairi.
Publication Date: September 13, 2026.
Updated: September 2026.
