Russian Nuclear-Capable Bomber Aircraft Fly to Venezuela, Angering U.S.

Dec. 11, 2018, at 12:42 p.m.

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Russian Nuclear-Capable Bomber Aircraft Fly to Venezuela, Angering U.S.

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FILE PHOTO: Russian Tu-160 bombers fly during a joint Kazakh-Russian military exercise at Otar military range, some 150km (93 miles) west of Almaty, Kazakhstan, October 3, 2008. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov/File PhotoREUTERS

BY ANDREW OSBORN

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Two Russian strategic bomber aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons have landed in ally Venezuela, a show of support for Venezuela's socialist government that has infuriated Washington.

The TU-160 supersonic bombers, known as "White Swans" by Russian pilots, landed at Maiquetia airport near capital Caracas on Monday after covering more than 10,000 km (6,200 miles), the Russian and Venezuelan governments said.

Their deployment came days after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose left-wing administration is the most significant U.S. foe in Latin America, held talks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

As OPEC member Venezuela's socialist-run economy implodes, Russia has become a key lender of last resort, investing in its oil industry and providing support to its military.

Capable of carrying short-range nuclear missiles, the planes can fly over 12,000 km (7,500 miles) without re-fuelling and have landed in Venezuela twice before in the last decade.

"Russia's government has sent bombers halfway around the world to Venezuela," fumed U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Twitter.

"The Russian and Venezuelan people should see this for what it is: two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer."

'HIGHLY UNDIPLOMATIC'

The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected Pompeo's criticism, saying it was "highly undiplomatic" and "completely inappropriate."

"As for the idea that we are squandering money, we do not agree. It's not really appropriate for a country half of whose defense budget could feed the whole of Africa to be making such statements," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Russia's Defence Ministry, which said the bombers had been accompanied by two other Russian military planes, did not say if the planes were carrying missiles, how long they would stay for, or what their mission was.