Russia sending naval for maneuvers with Venezuela

The Peter the Great nuclear cruiser along with three other warships from the Russian Norther Fleet base of Severomorsk are headed to the Gulf of Mexico for war games with Venezuela, Moscow announced today.

The deployment is the largest in the Americas since the Cold War.

Venezuela's leader Hugo Chavez has sealed major arms deals with Moscow, and negotiation are underway for a $6.5 billion oil refinery in the country that could help Caracas break its dependence on U.S. refineries.

In related news, China has agreed to build a refinery in China to refine oil from Venezuela, and to invest in a company that will build a refinery in the Orinoco region of Venezuela. Caracas has also signed a deal to buy 24 K-8 fighter training aircraft from Beijing.

BBC News

4 Russian Warships Sail to Venezuela
New York Times, United States - 3 hours ago
By MICHAEL SCHWIRTZ MOSCOW -- A squadron from the Russian Navy’s North Sea Fleet sail for Venezuela on Monday, a Russian Navy spokesman said, ...
Russian navy ships head to maneuvers in Venezuela The Associated Press
Russian navy sails to Venezuela BBC News
Russian warships embark for manoevres near US: officials AFP

Russia's cruiser Pyotr Veliky -- the flagship of the Nothern Fleet -- is moored at Severomorsk in 2007. A fleet of Russian warships set off from their Arctic base headed for Venezuela for exercises unprecedented since the Cold War and seen as a rebuff to the United States. Photo:Alexander Nemenov/AFP







AFP

Venezuela to buy Chinese combat planes: Chavez
AFP - 14 hours ago
Venezuela in recent years has been broadening its military ties to Moscow, and Chavez backed Russia in the recent Georgian conflict. ...
Chavez says Latin America needs Russia International Herald Tribune
Chavez begins 5-nation tour with visit to Castro The Associated Press
Fidel Castro: meeting with Chavez "great honor" Xinhua