Putin uses North African nation to fly 'migrants into EU' and trigger fresh crisis

Vladimir Putin is reportedly sending illegal migrants to Europe with the help of a North African military commander. Khalifa Haftar, the general who controls much of eastern Libya, has been accused of facilitating migrant flights to Belarus' capital, Minsk. The European Commission tracked a worrying increase in flights coming from the Libyan city of Benghazi, which it said could have been co-ordinated by General Haftar.

An official raised the alarm over "irregular migration flows" into Europe as a result of the flights operated by Belarusian carrier Belavia. They told The Telegraph: "We are monitoring recent Minsk-Benghazi flights operated by Belavia Airlines. The frequency and nature of these flights, particularly within a short timeframe, raise questions about potential co-ordination or facilitation of irregular migration flows."

There were just two Belavia flights between Benghazi and Minsk in May, but this increased to five in June and four in July, according to open-source data reviewed by the outlet.

This came amid the 5,000 illegal crossings at the EU's eastern land borders in the first seven months of the year.

Frontex, which polices the EU's external border, identified Belarus as one of the main issues the block faces in its war on illegal immigration.

The agency warned that the country's own leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has formed an alliance with Putin and Haftar to exploit this challenge.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus's exiled opposition leader, told the outlet: "Migrants are used as an instrument by the regime to put pressure on the European Union's borders, and our neighbours are really suffering from this.

"This is all the actions of Lukashenko and just business for his regime and a tool to put pressure on the EU for the principled and strong position in supporting democracy."

Puitn is also seeking to increase his influence in Libya following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, which saw Russia evacuate its bases in the country and move equipment.

Haftar then showed off hundreds of Russian armoured vehicles and air defence systems during his Libyan Armed Force parade last month.

Magnus Brunner, the EU's migration commissioner, urged Europe to "engage with Libya" or risk having Russia use migration as a "weapon" against the continent.

He told Politico: "The fact that Russia is increasing its influence in Libya is precisely our concern, and that's why we must also engage with Libya.

"There is certainly a danger that Russia will use migrants and the migration issue as a whole as a weapon against Europe. This weaponisation is taking place, and of course we also fear that Russia intends to do the same with Libya."