The British Financial Times reported that Russia has withdrawn more than 1,200 of its mercenaries from Libya, which is an indication that the war in Ukraine is putting pressure on Moscow's overseas deployments.
A high-ranking Libyan official confirmed to the British newspaper the withdrawal of forces from Wagner's mercenaries and Syrians from his country, without specifying the numbers of those withdrawing.
Western officials confirmed that 200 Wagner mercenaries and 1,000 Syrians had been withdrawn from Libya over the past few weeks.
According to the same official, about 5,000 Russian mercenaries remained in Libya.
This is not the first time that Russian mercenary forces have been deployed to the battle fronts in Ukraine.
According to Western officials, Russia's failure to make significant gains in Ukraine forced it to prioritize Wagner personnel for deployment in Ukraine over operations in Africa and Syria.
A Libyan source told the newspaper that the Syrians were withdrawn from Libya first, then Wagner mercenaries followed them. The newspaper did not mention whether the Syrians would be sent to Ukraine, and there is no evidence of their deployment there so far.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had reported last March that Russia had prepared lists of more than 40,000 fighters belonging to groups loyal to the Syrian regime forces to be ready to participate in the Ukrainian war on the side of the Russian army.
According to the observatory, "Russia has approved 22,000 fighters" from government forces or pro-regime groups, explaining that the recruits fall under the "25th Special Tasks Division" led by Brigadier General Suhail al-Hassan, nicknamed the Tiger, the Fifth Corps established by the Russians from former opposition fighters, and a brigade. Palestinian Jerusalem, a Palestinian group loyal to the Syrian regime that fought in the Aleppo region in the north of the country in particular.
The observatory did not indicate whether the Russian forces began sending fighters to Ukraine.