The international community has spent time and effort trying to piece together an inclusive, representative government of national accord in Libya, but Russian President Vladimir Putin is looking to undo all that by pumping up authoritarian strongman Khalifa Haftar as a leader for the country. Bloomberg reports that Russia has been flattering Haftar with visits to Moscow and facetime with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Haftar may also be receiving weapons from Egypt, which has grown increasingly close to Moscow in the past few years. Haftar's control of territory in Libya's oil crescent gives him powerful cards to play within the country's political landscape.
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