Key Facts
• May 2025: Venezuelan President Maduro visited Moscow to strengthen ties.
• May 2025: Venezuela and Russia signed a strategic partnership agreement.
• July 2025: AK-47 ammunition factory built in Venezuela with Russian support.
• October 2025: Russian cargo plane, under US sanctions, landed in Venezuela.
• November 11, 2025: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov confirmed readiness to act under the partnership.
• Russian official hinted at supplying Venezuela with Oreshnik missiles, used in Ukraine.
• US expanded military operations in the Caribbean targeting drug trafficking, including Venezuelan vessels.
Summary
Amid escalating tensions with the US, Venezuela has deepened its alliance with Russia. The two nations, which have maintained strong ties since the Chávez administration, formalized a strategic partnership in May 2025. This includes military and economic cooperation, such as the construction of an AK-47 ammunition factory in Venezuela. Despite US sanctions, Russian cargo planes have been recorded landing in Venezuela, signaling increased collaboration. While Russia denies receiving military aid requests from Venezuela, officials have suggested the potential supply of advanced Oreshnik missiles. These developments come as the US intensifies anti-drug trafficking operations in the Caribbean, targeting Venezuelan vessels. The growing partnership highlights Russia’s strategic interest in countering US influence in the region.
