Venezuelan President to visit Moscow, bilateral deals to be
signed
Moscow, June 18: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will make a
three-day visit to Moscow on June 28, during which bilateral deals
on diesel submarines and air defence systems are expected to be
signed.
Venezuela was planning to buy up to 10 modern diesel submarines and
several Tor-M1 air defence missile complexes from Russia, RIA
Novosti news agency reported today, quoting a source.
During his visit, Mr Chavez could finalise a deal to purchase
Russian diesel submarines for the Venezuelan Navy, leading Russian
business daily Kommersant said last week.
The contract reportedly is for the supply of five Project 636
Kilo-class diesel submarines and four state-of-the-art Project 677
Amur submarines.
''Most likely, Venezuela will buy five Project 636 submarines with
missile systems but it could end up buying nine submarines,'' said
Konstantin Makiyenko, Deputy Director of the Center for the
Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST).
The multi-billion dollar contract could be split into two or three
parts, and include construction of submarine bases and training of
submarine crews, Mr Makiyenko said.
The future deal would not be limited to procurement of submarines,
but could include the purchase of advanced Tor-M1 air defence
missile systems, he added.
''It might be a multiple-deal
contract and in addition to submarines Venezuela will purchase
Tor-M1 systems,'' Mr Makiyenko said, adding that Venezuela
has long been seeking to acquire coastal anti-ship and air defence
complexes ''that the country desperately needs at present.''
Venezuela has reportedly been pursuing modernisation of its naval
fleet and coastal defences to counter a possible US blockade of its
oil fields and prepare for direct military confrontation with
Washington.
Russia has repeatedly stated that it would actively participate in
the modernisation of the Venezuelan armed forces until 2013.
In 2005-2006, Venezuela ordered
weaponry from Russia worth 3.4 billion dollars, including 24
Su-30MK2V Flanker fighters, Tor-M1 air defence missile systems,
Mi-17B multi-role helicopters, Mi-35 Hind E attack helicopters and
Mi-26 Halo heavy transport helicopters.
It also purchased 100,000 AK-103 Kalashnikov assault rifles from
Russia in 2005.
With the arms' contracts signed in 2006-beginning 2007, Venezuela
has become the world's second largest importer of Russian weaponry
after Algeria.
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Venezuela located just at the door step of mighty USA.
Venezuela is likely to have the largest military reserve of 2
millions in the Americas, which is expected to be almost double the
size of that in the United States. It is part of President Hugo
Chávez's plan to create a people's army that would answer directly
to him in the event of civil unrest or an armed conflict.