What is the state of the Russian manufacturing arsenal that equips the Armed Forces of Venezuela

Since the arrival of Hugo Chávez at the end of the 20th century, the Venezuelan Armed Forces of Venezuela (FANB) have started a process of renovation of their equipment, mainly by transforming American and European systems into systems supplied by Russia. and China.

According to data from the Stockholm Institute for International Peace Studies (SIPRI), which monitors the flow of arms around the world, Venezuela began purchasing in 2006 and in 2014, it had disbursed $ 3.85 billion in equipment of all kinds, of Russian origin.

The peak was in 2013, when 881 million dollars were spent. At the same time, purchases in China totaled 619 million euros between 2006 and 2016.

"Russian equipment in general worked very well without major complaints", said the international badyst Andrei Serbin Pont, in dialogue with Infobae. "Although logistical arrangements are extremely strict, Venezuela can not even paint the tanks or change the type of oil without permission from Russia", said the director of research of the Regional Coordinator of Economic and Social Research (CRIES), a thinking group Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition, the recent dispatch of Russian personnel to the country, which, according to the Kremlin, complies with the current contracts relating to logistics and equipment guarantees, has exacerbated tensions between Moscow and Washington, who support different factions in the struggle for power within the Venezuelan country.

In the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis, with a sharp drop in GDP, hyperinflation, scarcity, growing crime and the mbadive exodus of its inhabitants, the situation in Venezuela entered a new phase when, in January, the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition since 2015 but declared shortly afterwards with contempt of the executive power and virtually canceled, elected Juan Guaidó as interim president to take over the oil country and call elections.

President Nicolás Maduro, heir to Chávez, re-elected in 2015 to elections strongly questioned by the lack of guarantees, persecution of opponents (who did not participate) and low participation, rejected this designation and clings to power based on his control of the BANB.

The United States, Canada, Europe and most Latin American countries support Guaidó. Russia, China, Cuba and Turkey, among others, support Maduro.

In this context, the United States and Russia, who have a tense relationship since the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and the deployment of Moscow to Syria to support President Bashar al-Assad in 2015, they braided again in a dispute over the future of Venezuela.

Even, it started discuss the possibility of a foreign intervention, allegedly led by Washington, in the country of South America and drop Maduro. Before what the arrival of Russian technicians, the promise to send strategic bombers Tupolev Tu-160 and the establishment of their anti-aircraft batteries there seems to be a direct answer, in the best style of "tit-to-tat" (adjustment of accounts) of the Cold War.

"The Russians wanted to show their deployment by landing at Maiquetía, otherwise they would have made it to El Sombrero ", Serbin Bridge regarded as referring to the landing of transport aircraft, arrived from Russian bases in Syria, at the airport located near Caracas, prominently, and not in the air base located 100 km south where S-300VM missile battery.

"Russians and Venezuelans have shown that American intervention is possible, but not imminent. This makes the United States a difficult decision to take because, if the intervention is given, will it risk damaging Russian personnel while driving the S-300?? "he said.

For the Argentinean badyst, "The United States would not enter Venezuela if it did not cancel S-300VM"given the high cost of launching an operation with this defensive system, it would not risk hurting or killing Russian soldiers either.

Something similar has already happened in Syria, where the deployment of Russian troops and the operations of its air force against various militias opposed to the Syrian regime or to terrorist groups did in coordination, and very far, similar operations in the same country by the United States. Nobody seems to want for the moment the beginning of a third world war.

An advanced anti-aircraft defense shield but difficult to maintain

One of the most important purchases made by Venezuela in Russia is that of the various anti-aircraft systems that form a reinforced defense, from short-range guns to sophisticated missiles.

The pearl of this device is the S-300VM, whose operational implementation was detected by the Israeli consultancy firm ISI. But there are also missile systems BUK-M2E and Pechora-2M, as well as 23mm Zu-23 guns and Igla-S portable launchers.

These last MANPAD weapons, although having more limited functionalities, They are present in large numbers in the country and are easy and inexpensive to operate and maintain. According to Serbin Pont's estimates, there would be 500 and 800 launchers and between 6,000 and 8,000 missiles, distributed in 43 units across the country. Its large numbers and careless storage are even a security threat, because they could be easily stolen from their arsenals by criminal groups.

His older brothers, like Buk, Pechora and S-300, are much more capable, but at the same time, it is very difficult to maintain and, because of the Venezuelan crisis, the number of military personnel trained to use them has decreased considerably. "The armies parade the stomach and the average soldier does not eat well", stressed the badyst, pointing out that the mbad exodus of Venezuelans in search of better living conditions had also seduced members of the armed forces.

"The anti-aircraft system thought to deter Colombia from conducting a first air attack," explained the badyst.

Since the beginning of Chavismo, but especially during the presidency of the Colombian Álvaro Uribe, powerful opponent of the so-called "twentieth-century socialism", Caracas and Bogotá have been constantly on the alert. The two countries share a land border of about 2,200 kilometers and have mutually accused each other of interference in their internal affairs. especially because of Chavez 'alleged support for Colombian guerrillas FARC and ELN.

Currently the tension has increased due to the political and social crisis in Venezuela, which has generated a mbadive exodus whose first and main destination is Colombia, forcing the border infrastructure of the country to the limit.

But although the system is probably the most formidable in Latin America and a problem for Colombiawe do not think, in number and technology, to face a serious air campaign of the United States. "It would only serve in a first attack," Serbin Pont said.

The dreaded Sukhoi Su-30

Recurring Mumble of Chávez himself, boast of the capabilities of the aircraft, Sukhoi Su-30MK2 air superiority fighters have become a symbol of the power of the FANB and the Russian presence in the region. And, in fact, there is nothing like it in Latin America.

But the crisis It has also affected the maintenance of these ships and the training of their pilotsThus, the gap between paper units and those that work is small.

"It's very difficult to know how many are in conditions, but historically, they had a very low exploitation rate"Serbin Bridge We saw less availability every timed, and in 2016, they should have sent Russia in planes to refurbish and they did not. In the context of an internal crisis and before the departure of the staff, it is possible that they focus on a few trained planes and pilots, "he added.

Although we do not know how many 24 units initially received by Venezuela (one had an accident in 2015)Just a handful of these advanced planes are enough to pose a threat to Colombia.

Chávez also made the decision to transform his army with new Russian weapons. The "Kalashnikov", that is to say the AK-103 which became the main rifle of the Venezuelan baby. And while these weapons are robust and efficient, the pbadage of ammunition from NATO standards to Russian calibres has created a logistical problem in the country that affects mobilization, especially because weapons of American and European origin are still present in Venezuelan arsenals.

Another experience was that of tanks T-72B1, again very advanced units for the region, especially given the lack of this type of armored vehicle on the tracks of the Colombian army, which nevertheless have serious problems of availability.

And it is that unlike the BMP-3M and BTR-80A troop transports, bought in Russia in the same package, the T-72B1 were not new. They had left the factories in the 1980s and were filming intensely with the Soviet and Russian armies and had been seeing problems with engines and oil consumption since their arrival in Venezuela.as Serbin Pont pointed out.

They also have not received the most relevant upgrades and lack thermal viewers, a serious limitation on the modern battlefield.

The other major arms supplier of the Venezuelan regime is China, which also supported Maduro as part of his political candidacy, but at the same time. it seems to have taken a more measured stance than Russia, while trying to maintain its various investment projects in infrastructure and production in Latin America.

"China will maintain a neat profile, focused on logistical support. But I do not think we will witness a deployment to Venezuela, when there will be coordination with Russia, which has the capacity and experience to carry out these operations as China does not. has not.", considered Serbin Bridge.

But while keeping this profile low, China remains an actor of the situation, since in reality is the supplier of the early warning radar system installed in Venezuela, an essential part of Russian-made anti-aircraft defenses.