US Department of State: Russia has printed fake euro billions for Libya

According to the Echo of Moscow radiostation, according to a statement by the US State Department on its official website, it is noted that a certain “illegitimate parallel organization” ordered the printing of fake banknotes.

However, the Central Bank of Libya, headquartered in Tripoli, is the only legal central bank in the country. The State Department stressed that the influx of counterfeit currency, which was printed by Russia, in recent years has exacerbated economic problems in Libya. The statement notes that the United States intends, together with the UN and international partners, to suppress Moscow’s activities, which undermine the country's sovereignty and stability.

The West accuses Russia of supporting General Khalifa Haftar, who heads the anti-government Libyan National Army. It is alleged that in the ranks of his forces, Russian mercenaries are fighting, in particular from the Wagner PMC. Earlier, Washington said that to assist them, Russia threw several military aircraft through Syria to Libya. It was reported that in order to hide their belonging to the Russian Air Force, the Mig-29 fighters were repainted.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that two thousand Russian mercenaries act on the side of Khalifa Haftar.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the presence of Russian troops in Libya. As President Vladimir Putin stated, if there are “Russian citizens in Libya, they do not represent the interests of the Russian state and do not receive money from the Russian state”.

After the overthrow and murder in Libya of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, a war broke out in the country with a fierce confrontation at once by several forces claiming power.

Recently, the capital of Libya and the western regions of the country have come under the control of the Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Faiz Saraj. It is supported by the UN, most Western countries, Turkey and Qatar. The east and part of the south of Libya are controlled by the House of Representatives of the country, also known as the "government in Tobruk." Its military structure was the Libyan National Army, led by 76-year-old Marshal Khalifa Haftar, formerly a supporter of Muammar Gaddafi. He is also supported by the UAE, Egypt, Italy and France.