All news

Russia vows to fulfill contracts with Venezuela, come what may, says top official

Russia is supplying aviation equipment, aircraft, combat helicopters to Venezuela, and is building an enterprise on manufacturing Kalashnikov rifles and an ammunition factory

MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. Russia will work towards implementing its defense contracts with Venezuela however events in the country may unfold, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov told Rossiya 24 TV channel on Thursday.

"You know the stance of (our) country’s president [Vladimir Putin] and (our) Foreign Ministry - we support the country’s legitimate president [Nicolas Maduro]. Yes, indeed Russia has long-term military-technical contracts. The agreements were signed in accordance with international law, and regardless of how the scenario unfolds in Venezuela, we will strive for their accurate and complete implementation," Borisov pledged.

Russia is supplying aviation equipment, aircraft, combat helicopters, and is building an enterprise on manufacturing Kalashnikov rifles and an ammunition factory.

Political turmoil in Venezuela

Juan Guaido, Venezuelan opposition leader and parliament speaker, whose appointment to that position had been cancelled by the country’s Supreme Court, declared himself interim president at a rally in the country’s capital of Caracas on January 23. On the same day, the United States recognized him as an interim president, and the countries of the Lima Group (excluding Mexico) and the Organization of American States followed suit. Venezuela's current President Nicolas Maduro blasted the move as an attempted coup and announced he was cutting diplomatic ties with the United States.

Several EU states gave Maduro an ultimatum to hold snap presidential election, and upon the expiration of the demand’s deadline, they recognized Guaido as the interim leader. Meanwhile, Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Turkey voiced support for the incumbent Maduro.