Russia Considers Providing Venezuela with Advanced Missile Systems
A senior Russian official has proposed that Moscow should consider supplying Venezuela with its latest Oreshnik midrange ballistic missile as regional tensions escalate. This comes amid increased U.S. military activity in the Caribbean, including the deployment of multiple warships, a submarine, and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group.
Alexei Zhuravlev, first deputy chairman of Russia’s State Duma Defense Committee, stated that Russia is already a significant supplier of military equipment to the Venezuelan government under President Nicolas Maduro. He emphasized that Russia provides a wide range of weapons, from small arms to aircraft, highlighting the importance of Russian Su-30MK2 fighters as the backbone of Venezuela’s air force, making it one of the most formidable in the region.
Zhuravlev noted that Russia has previously delivered several battalions of air defense systems such as Pantsir-S1 and Buk-M2E to protect critical Venezuelan infrastructure from aerial threats. These systems were recently transported via Il-76 aircraft to Caracas. He also indicated that there are no restrictions on supplying allies like Venezuela with new advanced weaponry, including potentially the latest Oreshnik missiles or proven Kalibr cruise missiles.
The United States has increased its military presence off Venezuela’s coast, claiming it aims to disrupt drug trafficking networks linked to the Maduro regime. In August, U.S. authorities accused Maduro of leading a narcotics cartel known as Cartel de los Soles, which collaborates with various criminal organizations across Latin America and beyond.
