Libya’s Government of National Unity has denied reports that Ukrainian forces are using Libyan territory to launch attacks on Russian-linked vessels.
The Defence Ministry issued the denial after reports claimed Ukrainian naval drone operators were operating from a military facility in Misrata, western Libya.
The ministry said Libya had not approved the use of its territory for attacks against another country.
Libya rejects Ukraine drone claims
CNN cited unnamed Ukrainian sources who claimed personnel had operated from Misrata.
One Ukrainian naval drone operator told the network that his unit was using the area for operations. He also claimed Ukrainian personnel were providing training to Libyan forces.
Separately, a Ukrainian defence intelligence source told CNN that specialists had been deployed to northwestern Libya since late 2025.
However, Libya’s Defence Ministry rejected claims that such an arrangement existed.
According to the Libya Observer, the ministry said there was no agreement allowing Misrata Military Base or other Libyan military facilities to serve as launch sites for operations abroad.
It also said no foreign government had received permission to use Libyan territory, airspace or territorial waters for hostile operations against another state.
Earlier reports raised similar allegations
Claims about a Ukrainian presence in western Libya appeared before the latest report.
Russia accused Ukraine in March of using Libyan territory for maritime drone operations after the Arctic Metagaz was damaged in the Mediterranean.
In April, French broadcaster RFI reported that more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel and specialists were operating in western Libya.
However, Ukraine has not officially confirmed that presence, according to the source.
Therefore, reports about Ukrainian operations from Libya remain allegations rather than independently established facts.
Russia maintains presence in eastern Libya
Meanwhile, Russia maintains a military presence in areas of Libya outside the Tripoli-based government’s control.
A June 2026 assessment by the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s Tearline project identified a Russian Africa Corps presence at six Libyan air bases.
Satellite imagery showed work on military infrastructure at several locations, according to the assessment.
Russia has developed close relations with forces in eastern Libya.
Libya remains politically divided
Libya continues to be divided between rival administrations.
Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s Government of National Unity controls much of western Libya, including Tripoli and Misrata.
Meanwhile, a rival administration operates in eastern Libya. Khalifa Haftar’s forces control large areas of the east and south and maintain close relations with Moscow.
The latest dispute highlights how wider international tensions are increasingly intersecting with Libya’s continuing political divisions.
However, Libya’s western government maintains that it has not authorised its territory to be used for attacks against Russia or any other country.