Russian cargo plane lands in Venezuela as Maduro turns to Moscow for military support
Illustrative photo: Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft (Getty Images)
A Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft has landed in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, signaling Moscow's growing interest in the country, Defense News reports.
The Il-76, registered as RA-78765, arrived in Caracas on Sunday after a two-day flight from Russia. The route reportedly passed through Armenia, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, and Mauritania before reaching Latin America.
Defense News noted that the Il-76 can carry up to 50 tons of cargo or as many as 200 passengers. Aircraft of this type have previously transported small arms, military equipment, and even mercenaries on behalf of Russia.
The operator of the Il-76, the company Aviacon Zitotrans, maintains a fleet of six transport planes. It is under sanctions from the United States, Canada, and Ukraine for its ties to the Russian military.
The company has also been known to supply weapons — including missiles, warheads, and helicopter parts — to various parts of the world, including regions where Russia's Wagner Group was active.
Several media outlets reported that the aircraft's arrival in Caracas followed an appeal by Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro to Russia, China, and Iran for military assistance. The move reportedly came in response to increased US military activity in the Caribbean region.
Recently, the United States accused the Caracas government of involvement in illegal drug trafficking. Washington has deployed military forces to the region to target vessels suspected of smuggling narcotics.
The US has also sent a carrier strike group to the Caribbean, prompting Venezuela to accuse Washington of "starting a war."
According to some reports, Maduro's letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin included a request for Moscow to supply defense radars, upgrade Venezuela's aircraft, and provide missile systems.
He also proposed modernizing the country's Su-30MK2 fighter jets and launching a three-year financing plan through the Russian state corporation Rostec.
In addition, Venezuela reportedly seeks to purchase advanced radar systems from China and drones with a 1,000-kilometer flight range and GPS-jamming capabilities from Iran.
Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets reported that the United States could launch strikes on Venezuela in the coming days.
According to the reports, the Trump administration has already identified potential targets and made the corresponding decisions.
