According to the French radio station RFI, a high-ranking GRU officer, Andrey Averyanov, was killed in a strike on the tanker Qendil in December 2025. The General, known as the curator of the most high-profile operations abroad (including activities in Africa following the death of Prigozhin), was on board the vessel accompanied by ten intelligence officers disguised as crew members.
Key details of the operation and consequences:
- Ukrainian trace in Libya: According to sources, the attack was carried out by Ukrainian special forces operating in coordination with the government in Tripoli. The use of a tanker as cover confirms the thesis that the “shadow fleet” has been transformed into a tool of hybrid warfare.
- Chain reaction of revenge: Averyanov’s death triggered a series of incidents. On December 23, the plane of the Libyan Chief of General Staff, General Mohammed al-Haddad, exploded in Turkey, and on March 19, sabotage involving Russian ammunition occurred at the El Sharara oil field.
- Status of the target: Averyanov was considered the successor to the influence of the Wagner PMC in Africa and the head of units responsible for force operations in Europe and worldwide.
Analytical Summary:
The death of Andrey Averyanov represents the most significant blow to the GRU since the end of the Cold War.
Decapitation of the “Africa Corps”: Averyanov was the central figure in reassembling Russian assets in Africa. His death creates a leadership vacuum in Libya, Mali, and Burkina Faso, where Moscow is attempting to build a new architecture of influence. Without his personal connections and iron-fisted control, Russia’s expansion in the region is likely to stall.
Tankers as legitimate targets: The use of civilian vessels to transport high-ranking intelligence command is a sign of a shortage of secure travel channels. However, the “shadow fleet” has now officially ceased to be “invisible” to the intelligence services of Ukraine and the West. The strike on the Qendil sets a precedent: any vessel circumventing sanctions is now viewed as a military target.
Proxy war on new frontiers: The geography of the conflict has expanded to Libya and Turkey. Russia is shifting to a tactic of direct terror against Ukraine’s allies (as in the case of al-Haddad), which could lead to even greater isolation of Moscow in the Mediterranean. Libya, long a playground for Russian maneuvers, is transforming into a hunting zone for GRU operatives.