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The Russian Air Force landed this week in Venezuela.
Four planes – including two Tupolev 160 (Tu-160) bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons – landed Monday at the Simón Bolívar International Airport, near Caracas – in a demonstration of Russian support for the Government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino attended an event intended to host the aircraft and to indicate that it was part of military cooperation exercises between the two countries.
"We are going to do it with our friends because we have friends around the world who have respectful and balanced relationships," he added.
"We are preparing to defend Venezuela until the last moment if necessary."
On Sunday, Maduro said that there was an attempt "directly coordinated by the White House to disrupt democratic life in Venezuela and provoke a coup against the constitutional, democratic and free government of the country. country".
The Godfather explains that the Russian planes are "logistic and bombers" and adds that no one should worry about the presence of aircraft in the country.
The Russian ambbadador to Venezuela, Vladimir Zaemskiy, said in turn that one of the areas of cooperation between the two countries was technico-military – and, according to him, "s". has been very fruitfully developed in recent years ".
[19659012] Nicolas Maduro and Vladimir Putin meet in Moscow – Photo: Maxim Shemetov / Reuters
A joint military exercise was announced just days after Maduro met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The meeting culminated in the signing of contracts worth US $ 6 billion of Russian investment in the fields of mining and oil in Venezuela.
The two countries are long-standing close allies. And the Maduro government, under pressure from sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union on what they consider to be violations of human rights in Venezuela, wants to strengthen these links – including the military front.
The Russian ambbadador recalled that cooperation in the field of defense had started in 2005, when Hugo Chávez was president.
But the plan of both governments is now to deepen this relationship.
Minister Padrino said that Caracas is awaiting the arrival of a Russian delegation to discuss ways to strengthen the arsenal of Venezuelan armed forces – despite the difficult situation of the country's public coffers, which is experiencing the biggest recession in South America. its history, constitutes an obstacle to the acquisition of more sophisticated weapons.
In the midst of the serious economic, political and social crisis in Venezuela, experts at BBC News BBC News, a BBC Spanish service, believe that the Russian military presence may have the aim of "discouraging" "Military intervention" in the country.
But according to badysts, this alliance is not only beneficial to Venezuela, but also vital to the Putin government.
The annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 was severely condemned by Western countries, generating a wave of economic sanctions against the country that continue to be renewed.
From then on, relations between Russia, the United States and the European Union deteriorated dramatically, and it is in this context that Venezuela gains special importance.
"Moscow is looking for countries that still want to keep in touch with them , including Venezuela, "said Steven Pifer, a former US ambbadador to Ukraine and a researcher at the Brookings Institution.
"What the Kremlin wants, is to convey the image of a Russia that is not isolated."
Helping Venezuela economically and militarily – one of the few countries to have supported Russian action in Crimea – serves to maintain that "Russia has relations all over the world".
The editor-in-chief of the BBC's Russian service, Famil Ismailov, shares this view and points out another advantage for Putin to support Caracas: the image that can be sold in the country.
"It is very important to show the public that, despite the sanctions, Russia is fulfilling its role of superpower and has friendly countries, it is worth paying for it," says Ismailov referring to Putin.
A "provocation" in the United States
The dispatch of the plane to Venezuela would also serve as a message to the United States, according to experts.
The Russian government has repeatedly criticized the "interference" of the United States in Ukraine and the sending of US troops into the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea as part of the operations of the United States. Treaty Organization of the North Atlantic (NATO).
And sending bombers to Venezuela can be a solution, a way to "put your finger in the wound" of the United States.
"Part of the reason (for sending bombers) is to train Russian pilots on long-haul flights, another part is simply intended to irritate the United States," said L & # Former ambbadador to Ukraine.
US authorities in turn severely criticized the dispatch of the aircraft.
"Russia sends bombers to Venezuela and we, a hospital ship," said Colonel Robert Manning, spokesman for the US Department of Defense.
- Venezuela calls the "cynical" reaction of the United States
At a press conference at the Pentagon, Manning evoked USNS Comfort, left in mid-October for Central America and South America with mission to provide humanitarian aid. to Venezuelan refugees.
"The most important thing is that we are at the side of the Venezuelan people in times of need," he added.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was "two corrupt governments, wasting public resources."
href = "https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" url = "https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&ref_srcsrc=twsrc%5Etw") The #Russia <! –
> sent bombers to the other side of the world at href = "https://twitter.com/hashtag/Venezuela?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" url = "https: / / twitter .com / hashtag / Venezuela? src = hash & ref_src = twsrc% 5Etfw "> # Venezuela <! – >. The Russian and Venezuelan peoples should see this as such: two corrupt governments squandering public funds and hindering freedom and freedom while their people are suffering. href = "https://t.co/bCBGbGtaHT" url = "https://t.co/bCBGbGtaHT"> pic.twitter.com/bCBGbGtaHT <! – >
The Russian government described the statement as "totally inappropriate" and "devoid of diplomacy".
But Russia is not the only one to send military jets to other countries. The United States also sent planes to its allies, including Ukraine, whose relations with Moscow remained tense after the annexation of Crimea.
Characteristics of Tupolev bombers 160:
Known as white swans in Russia, it is a rotary wing aircraft (variable geometry), whose maximum speed is twice that of the sound. The fleet was launched in 1981 and modernized in 2000. Its flying range is approximately 12,000 kilometers and the aircraft can carry nuclear weapons.
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