The Mysterious Flights from Moscow to Caracas Have Returned: Two Air Force Planes Arrived with Russian Personnel
An Antonov An-124 and an Ilyushin Il-62 are believed to have transported 100 Kremlin military personnel, including the chief of the army, along with 35 tons of equipment. There is also speculation that they might convey humanitarian aid or maintenance staff for the Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear bombers, which were in the country in December and were scheduled to return.
Source: INFOBAE
Russian personnel disembarking from the Il-62 in Caracas (Twitter/@FedericoBlackB)
A cargo plane, the Antonov An-124, and a passenger aircraft, the Ilyushin Il-62, both belonging to the Russian Air Force, mysteriously arrived on Saturday at Maiquetía International Airport in Venezuela, reportedly bringing the head of the Russian army, according to the defense specialized newspaper webinfomil.com and local press.
This deployment comes amidst a strong political dispute in the country between interim president Juan Guaidó, appointed by the National Assembly, and Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan leader and head of the Chavista regime, who counts Moscow as one of his most significant allies.
The last sighting of the An-124 and Il-62 duo was in December, shortly before the Kremlin sent two strategic nuclear bombers, the Tupolev Tu-160, to Venezuela, which was regarded as a show of Russian support during a time when a military operation by the United States, recognizing Guaidó’s legitimacy, is not off the table.
According to the Colombian portal webinfomil.com, the two transport planes presumably departed from Moscow, making stops in Damascus, Syria, and Dakar, Senegal, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean and landing near Caracas—a journey of 10,000 kilometers.
The Antonov An-124 is one of the largest cargo planes in the world, entering service in 1986. It can carry a maximum of 150 tons of cargo at a cruising speed of 800 kilometers per hour and has a range of 5,200 kilometers.
On the other hand, the Ilyushin Il-62 is a medium-sized commercial aircraft, with its first version taking flight in 1967. It can transport up to 186 passengers at a speed of 900 kilometers per hour, with a range of 10,000 kilometers.
During their previous visit in December, these aircraft transported technical staff and necessary equipment for maintaining the Tu-160s, according to the Russian agency Sputnik. Thus, their arrival could foreshadow a new deployment of the nuclear bombers, which had been announced without a set date by the Kremlin, aiming to establish a permanent presence of these planes in Venezuela.
Additionally, the planes might also be in the country bringing humanitarian aid, as announced by Moscow and Maduro, opposing the U.S.-origin humanitarian aid that Guaidó attempted to bring into Venezuela without success.
The country’s social and economic situation is in a state of severe decline, marked by significant drops in GDP, shortages, rising hyperinflation, and the collapse of some public services. However, Maduro stated that shipments would arrive in Venezuela the following week.
According to Venezuelan journalist Javier I. Mayorca, from the newspapers Runrunes and TalCual, the Il-62 brought a delegation of 99 Russian military personnel led by Major General Vasilly Tonkoshkurov. This information was also reported by El Universal.
Meanwhile, the An-124 brought 35 tons of materials belonging to the contingent, with no further details known, Mayorca noted.
The international community is divided over the Venezuelan crisis. Currently, Guaidó, elected by the National Assembly and possessing the legitimacy of the parliamentarians elected in the last completely free elections held in 2015, has been recognized as Venezuela’s president by the United States, Canada, Europe, and most of Latin America.
Despite differences in strategies among these countries to support the opposition leader, ranging from humanitarian military intervention to diplomatic pressure.
Meanwhile, President Maduro, re-elected in 2018 in elections questioned due to the persecution of opposition candidates, low turnout, and absence of minimal guarantees, is supported by Russia, China, Cuba, Iran, and Turkey, among others.
In this regard, Havana and Moscow have shown themselves as the closest and most loyal allies to the Chavista regime.
For Russia, this has meant an increase in air traffic between Moscow and Caracas at a time when few airlines dare to fly to Venezuela due to the political crisis, insecurity, and high homicide and kidnapping rates that threaten the safety of foreign crews.
Thus, the arrival of the Tu-160s, An-124, and Il-62 has been reported, along with mysterious charter flights from Nordwind airline, which arrived in Caracas at the beginning of the year without notice and apparent reason.
Tags: Russian Imperialism