"The factor of information pressure from the US": in Russia refuted the recall of military experts from Venezuela

The information of the American media about the recall of Russian military specialists from Venezuela is unreliable, said the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Bolivarian Republic Vladimir Zaemsky.

“This is another“ news ”that absolutely does not correspond to reality. The work is carried out in compliance with the existing obligations, and there are no cuts about any reductions, ”RIA Novosti quotes Lemko.

Earlier, the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reportedly allegedly sharp reductions in Rostec specialists involved in the training of Venezuelan soldiers and participating in the conclusion of contracts for the supply of weapons. According to the publication, if several years ago in Venezuela there were about 1,000 military advisers from the Russian Federation, now their numbers have decreased to several dozen.

The decision to recall was allegedly connected with the economic and political inexpediency of their stay in the Bolivarian Republic, the WSJ notes. According to the authors of the newspaper, this is a serious loss for the President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, who counted on the support of the Russian Federation and China in the confrontation of the United States.

“The curtailment of Rostec’s presence demonstrates the boundaries for which Russia is not ready to go out in the South American state in an environment where Moscow faces economic difficulties at home — partly under the influence of US sanctions,” the material says.

The press service of Rostec called the WSJ data on the number of corporate employees in Venezuela dozens of times overestimated. It is indicated that the size of the representation does not change over the years.

“As for technical specialists, they periodically arrive in the country for the repair and maintenance of previously supplied equipment. Recently, for example, the technical maintenance of the aircraft batch has been completed, ”the message says.

Recall that at the end of March in Venezuela a modern training and training helicopter center was opened, which was built under the contract of Rosoboronexport JSC (part of the Rostec state corporation) with the republic's military industry joint-stock company (CAVIM). It was noted that Venezuelan pilots will be able to undergo training on the operation and use of the Mi-17V-5, Mi-35M and Mi-26T helicopters in conditions as close as possible to reality.

At the same time, Washington expressed dissatisfaction with the presence of military specialists from Russia in the Bolivarian Republic. Moscow explained that such contacts correspond to the level of cooperation with the legal government of the South American country.

“The presence of Russian specialists in Venezuela is regulated by an agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Venezuela on military-technical cooperation, signed in May 2001 and having passed the necessary ratification procedures in both states in a timely manner,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova.

"Information pressure factor"

According to Igor Shatrov, deputy director of the National Institute for the Development of Modern Ideology, Washington wants to demonstrate to the world community that Russia is susceptible to pressure on the Venezuelan issue.

“The West in the person of the United States is trying to show that Russia refuses to support Maduro, and this is critically important for the legitimate authorities of Venezuela. Perhaps, only support from Russia, maybe, in part, even China is really keeping the situation from developing according to a catastrophic scenario, ”said Shatrov in a conversation with RT.

He recalled that Russia interacts with Venezuela within the framework of an agreement on military-technical cooperation, so the United States is not entitled to demand that Moscow withdraw its specialists.

“The publication of the American media can be considered as a factor of information pressure. Journalists, of course, are not on their naive initiative, but at the suggestion of the State Department and the Pentagon, they wish out what they want for the reality and thus try to reinforce the shaky authority of the United States. After all, there were recently such times when one cry from Washington made everyone immediately follow any order on command, ”Shatrov emphasized in an interview with RT.

According to Konstantin Blokhin, an expert at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the United States once again resorts to a well-developed strategy to spread fake news in order to spoil relations between other countries.

“Similar has been used, is being used and will be used in relation to Russia and China. This is a proven algorithm, a model of behavior. It is clear that Venezuela is a valuable partner for Russia, which does not abandon its allied relations for the sake of short-term preferences. The Americans want to embroil Russia with their allies, and, one can say, with the whole world, ”said the source RT.

He also noted that the attempt of the American protege Juan Guaido to take Caracas from a swoop failed, and now the revolution is running out of steam, and they are beginning to tire of the oppositionist. At the same time, Maduro demonstrates a high degree of political survival.

“The Americans did not succeed in shaking the situation from the inside out, but they will try to do it using various methods. At the same time, Venezuela is one of the theaters where American foreign policy is slipping, ”added Blokhin.