“The Times” newspaper revealed that fears have begun to increase in Italy that Russia will install nuclear submarines in a base that it hopes to establish in eastern Libya, which will greatly strengthen Russian influence in the central Mediterranean and place nuclear weapons on the southern side of Europe.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus Bek Yevkurov made his fourth visit to Benghazi last Monday. He began last August his visits to meet with military commander Khalifa Haftar.

The two men reportedly discussed establishing a Russian naval base in Tobruk, which could add to Moscow’s two existing bases in the eastern Mediterranean, in Tartus and Latakia, Syria.

Vincenzo Camporini, who formerly headed the Italian Armed Forces, said he believed that the Russians will give priority to placing nuclear submarines in Tobruk before surface ships.

On Sunday, Khalifa Haftar received at the headquarters of his forces in Rajma, Benghazi, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus Bek Yevkirov, whose visits to Benghazi have become frequent over the past period, especially with the receipt of identical reports about Moscow’s intention to create an African Legion for its forces to replace the Wagner Group to be initially active in five countries, including Libya.