FILE: Two Russian strategic bombers land in Venezuela as part of military manoeuvres

Record ID: 722535

  • Title: FILE: Two Russian strategic bombers land in Venezuela as part of military manoeuvres
  • Date: 12th September 2008
  • Summary: (W3) ENGELS, RUSSIA (FILE - AUGUST 2008) (REUTERS) TU-95 K-22 STRATEGIC MISSILE CARRIER MOVING ON RUNWAY BOMBER TAKING OFF RADAR SYSTEM BOMBER MID AIR VARIOUS OF BOMBERS POSITIONED ON GROUND SOUNDBITE (Russian) COMMANDER GENNADY STEKACHEV SAYING: "Pilots must fly if they work and when there is more work of course you feel better. You feel you're needed." BOMBERS ON GROUND SOUNDBITE (Russian) COMMANDER GENNADY STEKACHEV SAYING: "When the president said that we would be carrying out these types of flights, we accepted this as a normal and natural. Now we are flying about 20 hours a month, about 180-200 hours a year, even the young pilots are allowed." BOMBER TU-160 TAKING OFF BOMBER IN AIR WIDE OF AIR FIELD INTERIOR OF MISSION CONTROL ROOM PERSONNEL AT SCREENS CLOSE OF SCREEN VARIOUS OF TU-160 IN AIR BOMBER LANDING
  • Embargoed: 27th September 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVADDGZ94LWG3PCDRZDQ5ZZFJ56H
  • Story Text: Two Russian strategic bombers landed in Venezuela as part of military manoeuvres. President Hugo Chavez welcomed the unprecedented deployment at a time of increasing tensions between Moscow and the USA.
    Two long-range bombers landed in Venezuela on Thursday (September 11), flexing military muscle in Washington's traditional backyard as the former Cold War enemies spar on both sides of the Atlantic.
    The visit by the Tu-160 bombers, which have a range of 3000 KM and can carry 12 missiles, is a show of strength by newly confident Russia at a time of tension with the United States after the war in Georgia and U.S. plans for a missile defense shield in eastern Europe.
    Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday (September 10) the planes, which can carry nuclear missiles, were in the South American oil-exporting nation to strengthen military ties and counter U.S. regional influences.
    The bombers, known as Blackjacks, "were escorted by NATO fighter jets" during their flight to Venezuela, a Russian Air Force spokesman Alexander Drobyshevsky said, according to the Interfax news agency.
    Chavez is an outspoken critic of the United States, his main oil client. He frequently accuses Washington of planning to topple him and has modernized his army and built a diplomatic alliance with Russia.
    The two planes arrived days after Russia and Venezuela announced they will conduct joint naval exercises in the Caribbean later this year involving a nuclear-powered Russian battleship.
    The RIA news agency in Moscow said the two bombers would remain in Venezuela for several days for training flights over neutral waters returning to their base in Russia.
    Earlier in August, when the bombers were tested at the Engels site in southwestern Russia, Commander Gennady Stekachev said that the increase in such flights was a natural progression.

    "When the president said that we would be carrying out these types of flights, we accepted this as a normal and natural. Now we are flying about 20 hours a month, about 180-200 hours a year, even the young pilots are allowed," Gennady told Reuters.
    Russia has expressed anger at the United States for sending naval ships to Georgia to deliver aid and show support for President Mikheil Saakashvili after the war in the former Soviet Republic.
    Russia's exercises in Venezuelan waters will be the first major maneuvers on the U.S. doorstep since the Cold War.
    Chavez said Washington had F-16 fighter jets stationed on the nearby Caribbean island of Curacao and was considering bombing his palace or his live TV show's set.
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