Will Putin Help? Venezuela Requests Protection from Russia Against American Military 0 19

The group that the U.S. has sent to the shores of Venezuela may consist of up to 16,000 troops. This is reported by The Washington Post (WP) based on its own calculations.

Earlier, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro appealed to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for assistance due to threats from the U.S. This is reported by The Washington Post (WP) citing confidential documents.

According to the documents, Maduro requested missiles, radars, and upgraded aircraft from Russia. The letter to the Russian leader was sent in connection with the buildup of U.S. forces in the Caribbean region.

The Venezuelan authorities, according to the documents, also reached out to China and Iran for military assistance and equipment to strengthen their defense. In a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to WP, Maduro requested the "expansion of military cooperation" between the two countries to counter the "escalation of relations between the U.S. and Venezuela."