Anna Hartz
International politics often moves quietly, far from public attention.
Governments trade messages, shift resources, and send people to distant places. Sometimes these moves become visible only when someone involved chooses to speak. That is what happened with new information about Russian activities in Venezuela, which adds another layer to an already complicated global picture.
Russian General Present in Venezuela
A high-ranking Russian general who was removed from his post by Vladimir Putin after failures in Ukraine is now overseeing a rotating Russian military mission in Venezuela. reports Digi24. This information comes from Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Service.
Its chief, Lt. Gen. Kirilo Budanov, spoke with The War Zone and said that Colonel General Oleg Leontievich Makarevich is leading the Russian Defense Ministry’s Equator Intervention Force. This group has more than 120 members. They train Venezuelan troops in several military skills, including drone operations.
Budanov made these comments after reports that an elite Russian drone unit recently arrived in Venezuela. The unit is there to teach local forces how to use first-person view drones, which have become an important tool on modern battlefields.
According to Budanov, the Russian mission is designed to last. He said it is not a response to the current increase of American forces in the Caribbean, where the Trump administration has deployed Task Force Southern Spear. The United States says the task force focuses on stopping drug trafficking. Many observers believe it is part of Washington’s broader effort to pressure Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
A Political Performance
Budanov said he expects Makarevich and his staff to stay in Venezuela regardless of American actions. He described the situation as a political performance, with both sides speaking publicly while doing something different behind closed doors.
Makarevich himself is known for his troubled career. He is 62 years old. He lost his position as commander of the Russian Dnipro force group in October 2023 after Ukraine’s successful counteroffensive in the Kherson region.
Ukrainian officials also accuse him of ordering the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in June 2023. That event caused massive flooding and severe environmental and economic damage.
Russia denies responsibility. Russian officials claim that Ukraine destroyed the dam to interfere with Russian military plans.
Sources: Digi24.
