It
is not clear if the Russian equipment and personnel are military or
contractors, but US officials believe it's all part of the growing signs
that Russia is interfering in Libya, according to this official and
another US official.
There
was some open discussion of this at the Senate Armed Services Committee
last week, when the four-star head of Africa Command acknowledged the
US believes Russia is trying to manipulate the political outcome in
Libya.
General
Thomas D. Waldhauser testified: "Russia is trying to exert influence on
the ultimate decision of who becomes and what entity becomes in charge
of the government inside Libya. They're working to influence that --
that the decision."
Sen. Lindsey Graham then asked about the Russians: "They're trying to do in Libya what they've been doing in Syria?"
Waldhauser answered: "Yes, that's a good way to characterize it."
CNN
spoke to officials in Egypt about an earlier Reuters report alleging
the placement of drones and special forces in Egypt near the Libyan
border.
An Egyptian military official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told CNN this issue is a matter of sovereignty.
Dmitry
Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, responded to
CNN questioning about drones, saying "we don't have that information."
On special forces in Egypt near the Libya border he added, "we also have
no information about that."
Five
years after the fall of Moammar Gadhafi, three governments vie for
power in Libya, multiple tribes compete for influence and a slice of the
country's dwindling oil wealth; while ISIS has gained a foothold in
some areas.
Keen to promote stability, the United Nations hastened in a Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) early last year.
It
continues to compete with the Islamist-dominated General National
Congress in Tripoli, also known as the Government of National Salvation,
and with the previous internationally recognized government, the
Council of Deputies, which has set up camp in the east of Libya and
backs Gen. Khalifa Haftar, the head of the so-called Libyan army.