Russian navy ships head to maneuvers in Venezuela....

[Lucky13]

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer
48 minutes ago



MOSCOW - A Russian navy squadron set off for Venezuela Monday, an official said, in a deployment of Russian military power to the Western Hemisphere unprecedented since the Cold War.

The Kremlin recently has moved to intensify contacts with Venezuela, Cuba and other Latin American nations amid increasingly strained relations with Washington after last month's war between Russia and Georgia. During the Cold War, Latin America became an ideological battleground between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Russian navy spokesman Igor Dygalo said the nuclear-powered Peter the Great cruiser accompanied by three other ships sailed from the Northern Fleet's base of Severomorsk on Monday. The ships will cover about 15,000 nautical miles to conduct joint maneuvers with the Venezuelan navy, he told The Associated Press.



The deployment follows a weeklong visit to Venezuela by a pair of Russian strategic bombers and comes as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez — an unbridled critic of U.S. foreign policy who has close ties with Moscow — plans to visit Moscow this week. It will be Chavez's second trip to Russia in about two months.

The intensifying contacts with Venezuela appear to be a response to the U.S. dispatch of warships to deliver aid to Georgia which angered the Kremlin.

Chavez said in an interview with Russian television broadcast Sunday that Latin America needs a strong friendship with Russia to help reduce U.S. influence and keep peace in the region. In separate comments on his Sunday TV and radio program, he joked that he will be making his international tour to Russia and other countries this week aboard the "super-bombers that Medvedev loaned me," a reference to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. "Gentlemen of the CIA, to be clear, I'm joking," Chavez said with a laugh.

Chavez has repeatedly warned that the U.S. Navy poses a threat to Venezuela.

Russia has signed weapons contracts worth more than $4 billion with Venezuela since 2005 to supply fighter jets, helicopters, and 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles. Chavez's government is in talks to buy Russian submarines, air defense systems and armored vehicles and more Sukhoi fighter jets.

Russian and Venezuelan leaders also have talked about boosting cooperation in the energy sphere to create what Chavez has called "a new strategic energy alliance."

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, who visited Venezuela last week, announced that five of Russia's biggest oil companies are looking to form a consortium to increase Latin American operations and to build a $6.5 billion refinery to process Venezuela's tar-like heavy crude. Such an investment could help Venezuela, the world's ninth-biggest oil producer, wean itself from the U.S. refineries on which it depends to process much of its crude.

Sechin warned the United States that it should not view Latin America as its own backyard. "It would be wrong to talk about one nation having exclusive rights to this zone," he said in an interview broadcast Sunday.

____

Associated Press Writer Ian James in Caracas contributed to this report.

[wilbur1]

Oh great.....here we go again

[renrich]

I hope they don't break down somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic and we have to go take them in tow.

[Matt308]

Who cares.

A NoGoodNik inviting a militarily crippled group of amateur scullers. Ignore them.

[Ramirezzz]

Those ships, both commisioned in the late 1990ies, are among most modern vessels out there. As for "amateur scullers" Matt, you are certainly aware of the current training in the Russia's Northern Fleet to make such statements, aren't you?
hey I don't unconditionally support this move, but don't post something which is not backed by the facts enough.

[Milos Sijacki]

I don't think that Russian military is crippled nor that is filled with amateurs. The equipment is good, is sturdy. What happened to Kursk was an unfortunate accident. Their men are well trained and are ready to fight.

[Milos Sijacki]

I also agree with Ramirezz.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Does not bother me none.

It is a free ocean and they can train where they please.

[syscom3]

I agree with Adler.

If the Russian navy wants to sail into the carib, let them.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It is not like we don't do it, and every one country with a decent size navy does it as well.

[ToughOmbre]

No big deal.

TO

[freebird]

Too bad they won't be trying to challenge Canada's sovereignty in the Northwest Passage, might wake up a few people here....

[syscom3]

We should invite the Russians to have a friendly port call in the US.

Have them visit Florida.

[freebird]

But I'm not sure a cruiser would be enough, perhaps they could send the carrier Admiral Kuznetsov? A nice trip through Canada's Arctic & some sightseeing off of Cape Cod & Long Island should pretty much wrap up both yours & my country's elections.... {in the RIGHT way }

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Have them visit Florida.

I think they would feel more at home in California...