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Nicolas Maduro and Vladimir Putin during a meeting after riots within Venezuela

Reporter Braxton Thomas

CARACAS, Venezuela (Duke’s Dispatch) - Amid two Russian military planes landing in Venezuela, the Trump administration issued stark warnings to Nicolas Maduro’s government. However, larger things are afoot with the Venezuelan crisis. Increased ties to the Kremlin and a ship arriving recently in the caribbean region of Venezuela has caused much worry for foreign powers and our own.

Venezuela contains the largest oil reserves in the world, the crude oil industry heavily dependent on American provided thinners to make the oil processable. When the United States issued sanctions against Venezuelan importing of thinners, the economy began to fall quickly there. This aspect however may have been saved by the tanker Serengeti, a russian ship that loaded thinners into its cargo in Malta. The company responsible would be Rosneft, Russia’s state run oil giant. The objective of this cooperation however is still unknown.

Alexey Seredin, minister counselor at the Russian embassy says, “Relations between Russia and Venezuela are excellent, At the moment, we are working to strengthen cooperation.” This cooperation however, includes the mobilization of troops into Venezuela, supplies being imported into the nation and the export of Venezuelan oil to Indian processing facilities. Along with the exportation, importation of medical supplies to Venezuela from Russia has been somewhat immense. The Kremlin also has poised to increase wheat sales and dispatch even more medical supplies to its somewhat newfound ally.

Seredin also said that Venezuelan officials would arrive in Moscow next week to discuss investments. The investments supposedly discussed will be agriculture, mining, and the transport sectors of the Venezuelan economy. More troubling about Russia’s involvement in Venezuela is the dispatch of 99 troops to aid Nicolas Maduro’s defense apparatus. In terms of equipment however, the Venezuelans have Sukhoi fighter jets and anti-aircraft systems purchased from Russia. This is especially troubling with these jets being offensive attack jets.

T-50 (SU-57 prototype) at the MAKS 2011 Airshow (Dmitry Zherdin)