Can I clean up the /var/backups folder (Debian)?

Question

linux

Good day toasters and toasters!
There is a VPS on Debian 9. There is a /var/backups folder, it contains files:

[email protected]:/var/backups# ls -l
total 9040
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    112640 Nov 21 06:25 alternatives.tar.0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5969 Oct 13 06:25 alternatives.tar.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5975 Sep 25 06:25 alternatives.tar.2.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5736 Jul 25 06:25 alternatives.tar.3.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5477 Jul  7 06:25 alternatives.tar.4.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5471 Jul  6 06:25 alternatives.tar.5.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5697 Mar 30  2018 alternatives.tar.6.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root     54418 Nov 20 06:52 apt.extended_states.0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5850 Sep 27 15:39 apt.extended_states.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5835 Sep 24 15:53 apt.extended_states.2.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5825 Sep 19 18:06 apt.extended_states.3.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5823 Sep 12 14:54 apt.extended_states.4.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5766 Sep  3 23:55 apt.extended_states.5.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root      5775 Sep  3 22:45 apt.extended_states.6.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   5189070 Aug  2 17:15 aptitude.pkgstates.0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    445354 Jul  5 16:12 aptitude.pkgstates.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       450 Sep 24 15:51 dpkg.diversions.0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       199 Sep 24 15:51 dpkg.diversions.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       199 Sep 24 15:51 dpkg.diversions.2.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       199 Sep 24 15:51 dpkg.diversions.3.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       199 Sep 24 15:51 dpkg.diversions.4.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       199 Sep 24 15:51 dpkg.diversions.5.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       199 Sep 24 15:51 dpkg.diversions.6.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       218 Mar 29  2018 dpkg.statoverride.0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       188 Mar 29  2018 dpkg.statoverride.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       188 Mar 29  2018 dpkg.statoverride.2.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       188 Mar 29  2018 dpkg.statoverride.3.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       188 Mar 29  2018 dpkg.statoverride.4.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       188 Mar 29  2018 dpkg.statoverride.5.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root       188 Mar 29  2018 dpkg.statoverride.6.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   1157364 Nov 29 01:55 dpkg.status.0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    342638 Nov 25 06:46 dpkg.status.1.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    342638 Nov 25 06:46 dpkg.status.2.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    342638 Nov 25 06:46 dpkg.status.3.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    342639 Nov 20 06:52 dpkg.status.4.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    342639 Nov 20 06:52 dpkg.status.5.gz
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    342639 Nov 20 06:52 dpkg.status.6.gz
-rw------- 1 root root       938 Sep  3 22:45 group.bak
-rw------- 1 root shadow     779 Sep  3 22:45 gshadow.bak
-rw------- 1 root root      2477 Sep 12 14:54 passwd.bak
-rw------- 1 root shadow    1867 Oct 16 17:03 shadow.bak

what files can be deleted to free up free space? And is it safe?

Answer 1

In addition to everything sounded, I advise you to put ncdu in the kit. excellent console program with excellent display of consumed space in each subdirectory.
run and see what takes up space in the root directory.
ncdu -x /
- x in order not to climb on external mounted devices.