MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. A false flag involving victims is being devised for Venezuela to justify an outside invasion of the Latin American country, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters at Thursday’s press briefing.

"A provocation, involving victims, is being put together under the guise of a humanitarian convoy," Zakharova stressed. "They need it just as a pretext to use outside force, and everyone should understand that."

"The possibility of a military intervention is just a red line for all of Latin America and the entire global community in general, which considers itself to be civilized," she emphasized.

"We believe it is imperative to refrain from steps or statements that could trigger an escalation of tensions in Venezuela, in particular, from any appeals to Venezuela’s armed forces fraught with their involvement in a domestic civil standoff," Zakharova went on to say. "We keep repeating that the international community’s task is to promote mutual understanding between various political forces in Venezuela."

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. A number of countries, including the United States, Lima Group members (excluding Mexico), as well as the Organization of American States, recognized him as president. Venezuela's incumbent President Nicolas Maduro blasted these actions as an attempted coup and said he was cutting diplomatic ties with Washington.

Some European countries delivered an ultimatum on a snap presidential election to Maduro and recognized Guaido as interim president once the demand’s deadline had expired.

Meanwhile, Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey voiced support for Maduro.