BREAKING- Russian planes carrying troops arrive in Venezuela

CARACAS (Reuters) - Two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela’s main airport on Saturday carrying a Russian defense official and nearly 100 troops, according to a local journalist, amid strengthening ties between Caracas and Moscow.

www.reuters.com...

Two Russian Air Force reportedly planes landed in Venezuela's main airport on Saturday carrying a Russian defence official and around 100 troops. One flight tracking website shows two aircraft left a Russian military base for the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Friday, with a further jet leaving on Sunday. The arrival of the military jets was confirmed by Javier Mayorca, an independent journalist, who said an Antonov-124 cargo plane and a smaller jet touched down late on Saturday. He said approximately 100 soldiers – led by General Vasily Tonkoshkurov, who is head of the Mobilization Directorate of Russia's armed forces – was also seen, as well as 35 tons of equipment.

www.dailystar.co.uk...

Since I don't trust the Daily Star (cough), I searched and it showed up on Reuters. So I guess it's worthy of a thread at least, although these days it's hard to trust ANY media source.

But suppose for the sake of argument, we assume it's true.

Now my mind spins with the possibility of why those troops are there. Advisement? Deterance for USA-led invasion? With a 100 Russians troops on the ground does this deter Washington at all from their goals?

Note I already reported in another thread here that all seismic data coming out of Venezuela is "down". We got nothing. Maduro recently raided a top opposition aide and jailed him. Things are heating up.

And as usual, where there is trouble there is oil. Lots of it. Anyone see a pattern here disguised in the name of spreading democracy?

a reply to: TrueAmerican

100 troops probably would mean military advisors mainly.

originally posted by: Willtell
a reply to: TrueAmerican

100 troops probably would mean military advisors mainly.

Since when do regular troops act in advisory capacity to heads of state? Aren't they usually pretty high up in rank?

And it takes 35 tons of equipment to advise?

a reply to: TrueAmerican

He said approximately 100 soldiers – led by General Vasily Tonkoshkurov, who is head of the Mobilization Directorate of Russia's armed forces – was also seen, as well as 35 tons of equipment.

I expect more will follow , Russian forces at America's doorstep.

Ya know what, my man?

Anybody but us. ANYBODY. I'm beyond sick & tired of the US imposing it's idea of what a government should be, imposing it's idea of what's best for a society, outright destabilzing somewhere that was far better off before we Reverse Midas'd it into a lawless hellhole because greed/jealousy, that is not our f#g job to do nor do we have the right.

Russia possibly wants to get their hands dirty? FINE. Let them. If we went in, it'd be carpet bombed into Libya/Iraq 2.0 in short order anyway, let somebody else take a crack at it. They can't possibly do worse than us.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: TrueAmerican

He said approximately 100 soldiers – led by General Vasily Tonkoshkurov, who is head of the Mobilization Directorate of Russia's armed forces – was also seen, as well as 35 tons of equipment.

I expect more will follow , Russian forces at America's doorstep.

o.O Was geography not one of your strengths? Venezuela isn't "at our doorstep", and the Russians are closer to Alaska already anyway. I think that gap is 55 miles vs the 1,800 or so Venezuela is.


Edt: Eyeballed the map, think 1,800 is a bit far, probably closer to 1,000 to 1,200 miles shore to shore. My point still stands -- there's a much tinier gap in Alaska already.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: TrueAmerican

He said approximately 100 soldiers – led by General Vasily Tonkoshkurov, who is head of the Mobilization Directorate of Russia's armed forces – was also seen, as well as 35 tons of equipment.

I expect more will follow , Russian forces at America's doorstep.

Perhaps trump and Putin will dance the Joropo....

Putin has officially staked Russia's claim on Venezuela.

Interesting moves.

"The US is going to invade! The US is going to invade!"

Meanwhile:

"Russian planes carrying troops arrive in Venezuela"

Yep...Someone care to explain to me why this is ok?

originally posted by: projectvxn
"The US is going to invade! The US is going to invade!"

Meanwhile:

"Russian planes carrying troops arrive in Venezuela"

Yep...Someone care to explain to me why this is ok?

It ain't us. We don't need the mess, someone else can play War Warriors for a change.

originally posted by: projectvxn
"The US is going to invade! The US is going to invade!"

Meanwhile:

"Russian planes carrying troops arrive in Venezuela"

Yep...Someone care to explain to me why this is ok?

Invited by Maduro?

Probably just a deterrence force. Not that they could stop US military action, but just to make the consequences of taking military action in Venezuela that much more dangerous, for fear of accidentally hitting some Russians.

a reply to: projectvxn

I don't suppose you'd care to comment if you might think that any of that 35 tons might contain advanced anti-aircraft defense systems- even if of the manpad type? (If I remember right, you have some military history, I think...)

Russia is one of Venezuela’s main allies. It would make sense for them to be there in these times.

originally posted by: projectvxn
"The US is going to invade! The US is going to invade!"

Meanwhile:

"Russian planes carrying troops arrive in Venezuela"

Yep...Someone care to explain to me why this is ok?

Wait until they start staging military aircraft there, mobile nuclear capable missiles launchers. Etc.

Cuban crisis II

originally posted by: snowspirit
Russia is one of Venezuela’s main allies. It would make sense for them to be there in these times.

Roger, the Russians won't mind a bit then I guess if we put an entire division in the Ukraine.

The problem with this for Washington is the foothold the Russians are gaining on our doorstep. Along with Cuba, old Putin is having a mighty fine time. They say paybacks are hell.

They should have landed with food and medicine...not troops.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Then tell me, whats 100 troops going to do? Unless this is a beginning of a fuller troop engagement.

FYI the US refers to its own advisors as troops in many instances.

a reply to: projectvxn

When a country invites another's troops to their country it isn't an invasion. Because if it was then the US bases all over the world would make us invaders.

Russia is a trading partner with Venezuela same with China and I believe both countries have invested and loaned billions to them. The US has withheld billions from the same country.

Well, in the original Red Dawn the Russians teamed up with Cubans and Nicaraguan forces. After Cuban saboteurs took out Strategic Air Command, Russian paratroopers launched from Alaska formed the advanced strike force with the main occupation force coming up from Mexico.

So a Russian-Venezuelan joint force could just caravan right on up...

a reply to: olaru12

Perhaps trump and Putin will dance the Joropo....

They can dance on the graves of Wagner mercs in Syria, and soon in Venezuela for all I care. I'm pretty sure I had some images in a thread somewhere of Wagner president or owner or whatever sitting down in defense talks with the Russian defense minister And his Venezuelan counterparts in Moscow recently. Wagner mercenaries are already inside of Venezuela, doing whatever hired mercenaries do.

Haha, I got confused, I was thinking of Libya. But certainly Wagner is operating in Venezuela as this is the preferred method Russian government likes to use when operations may require the use of force.