Washington Cries Wolf
Russian Strategic Bombers Land in Venezuela
CARACAS (Dispatches) -- Two Russian long-range strategic bombers landed in Venezuela Monday for what the government said were air force exercises aimed at strengthening the defense of the South American country.
General Vladimir Padrino, the Venezuelan defense minister, welcomed about 100 Russian pilots and other personnel after the two TU-160s and two other aircraft landed at the international airport that serves Caracas.
Padrino said the deployment showed "we also are preparing to defend Venezuela to the last inch when necessary."
"This we are going to do with our friends, because we have friends in the world who defend respectful balanced, relations," he said.
The commander of the Russian Air Force's long-range aircraft, General Sergei Ivanovich Kobulash, said the exercises would provide "a profound exchange of experience between pilots and technical staff" from both countries.
The development follows hot on the heels of a visit to Moscow last week by President Nicolas Maduro during which he had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed support for his beleaguered government.
Maduro said he secured support from Russia to increase oil production by 1 million barrels a day, as well as for mining investments and maintenance of weapons and defense systems.
The U.S. and European Union have led an effort to impose sanctions on Venezuela as they seek to isolate the country on the world stage.
Maduro has accused the United States of plotting against his government and waging an economic war on Venezuela which is grappling with a severe economic crisis.
Besides the two bombers, the deployment included an An-124 transport plane and an Il-62 passenger plane, according to a Russian military announcement in Moscow.
Padrino noted that Russian aircraft had visited before in 2013, but said their current deployment was part of a "new experience."
He said exercises would be held to "raise the level of interoperability of the aerospace defense systems" of both countries.
It was unclear how long the Russian deployment would last, and Padrino did not provide details about the exercises planned.
In recent years, Venezuela has purchased millions of dollars in military equipment from Russia, he said.
Venezuela acquired 24 Sukhoi-30 Russian fighters and signed a deal to purchase 53 MI-24 helicopter gunships and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles in 2016.
Former defense minister Raul Salazar said the exercises with Russia "are part of what is called psychological warfare."
"The purpose is to increase the perception that Venezuela is supported by Russia, China and Belarus, that it has the support of a power, in case another power tries to invade," Salazar told AFP.
Maduro on Sunday said Washington had set in motion a plan to overthrow him, with the support of neighboring Colombia.
"Underway today is an attempt to disrupt the democratic life of Venezuela, coordinated directly from the White House," said Maduro, who was the target of an August 4 drone attack hatched by Venezuela's opposition with the support of the U.S. and Colombian governments.
Caracas' defense minister said "nobody in the world should fear the presence of these strategic fighter bombers. We are builders of peace and not of war."
Padrino added however that other countries in the region had created "political and military imbalances" against which the Venezuelan government could not stand idly by -- an apparent reference to Bogota, which Caracas has accused of harboring U.S. military bases.
The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected U.S. criticism of Russian military flights to Venezuela, saying it had been inappropriate and wrong for U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to condemn the flight of the bombers to Caracas.
"The Russian and Venezuelan people should see this for what it is: two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer,” Pompeo wrote.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that Pompeo’s comments were undiplomatic and wrong. "We consider it completely inappropriate,” said Peskov.
After U.S. President Donald Trump last week criticized the secretary of state’s predecessor, Rex Tillerson, "maybe such an assessment will follow concerning the undiplomatic remarks of Mr. Pompeo,” Peskov said.
General Vladimir Padrino, the Venezuelan defense minister, welcomed about 100 Russian pilots and other personnel after the two TU-160s and two other aircraft landed at the international airport that serves Caracas.
Padrino said the deployment showed "we also are preparing to defend Venezuela to the last inch when necessary."
"This we are going to do with our friends, because we have friends in the world who defend respectful balanced, relations," he said.
The commander of the Russian Air Force's long-range aircraft, General Sergei Ivanovich Kobulash, said the exercises would provide "a profound exchange of experience between pilots and technical staff" from both countries.
The development follows hot on the heels of a visit to Moscow last week by President Nicolas Maduro during which he had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed support for his beleaguered government.
Maduro said he secured support from Russia to increase oil production by 1 million barrels a day, as well as for mining investments and maintenance of weapons and defense systems.
The U.S. and European Union have led an effort to impose sanctions on Venezuela as they seek to isolate the country on the world stage.
Maduro has accused the United States of plotting against his government and waging an economic war on Venezuela which is grappling with a severe economic crisis.
Besides the two bombers, the deployment included an An-124 transport plane and an Il-62 passenger plane, according to a Russian military announcement in Moscow.
Padrino noted that Russian aircraft had visited before in 2013, but said their current deployment was part of a "new experience."
He said exercises would be held to "raise the level of interoperability of the aerospace defense systems" of both countries.
It was unclear how long the Russian deployment would last, and Padrino did not provide details about the exercises planned.
In recent years, Venezuela has purchased millions of dollars in military equipment from Russia, he said.
Venezuela acquired 24 Sukhoi-30 Russian fighters and signed a deal to purchase 53 MI-24 helicopter gunships and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles in 2016.
Former defense minister Raul Salazar said the exercises with Russia "are part of what is called psychological warfare."
"The purpose is to increase the perception that Venezuela is supported by Russia, China and Belarus, that it has the support of a power, in case another power tries to invade," Salazar told AFP.
Maduro on Sunday said Washington had set in motion a plan to overthrow him, with the support of neighboring Colombia.
"Underway today is an attempt to disrupt the democratic life of Venezuela, coordinated directly from the White House," said Maduro, who was the target of an August 4 drone attack hatched by Venezuela's opposition with the support of the U.S. and Colombian governments.
Caracas' defense minister said "nobody in the world should fear the presence of these strategic fighter bombers. We are builders of peace and not of war."
Padrino added however that other countries in the region had created "political and military imbalances" against which the Venezuelan government could not stand idly by -- an apparent reference to Bogota, which Caracas has accused of harboring U.S. military bases.
The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected U.S. criticism of Russian military flights to Venezuela, saying it had been inappropriate and wrong for U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to condemn the flight of the bombers to Caracas.
"The Russian and Venezuelan people should see this for what it is: two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer,” Pompeo wrote.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call that Pompeo’s comments were undiplomatic and wrong. "We consider it completely inappropriate,” said Peskov.
After U.S. President Donald Trump last week criticized the secretary of state’s predecessor, Rex Tillerson, "maybe such an assessment will follow concerning the undiplomatic remarks of Mr. Pompeo,” Peskov said.