Venezuela To Buy Russian Subs
Russia reportedly plans to offer an $800 million loan to Venezuela to help Caracas purchase four Russian diesel-electric submarines.
The deal is expected to be closed during Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’ visit to Russia to attend the inauguration of president-elect Dmitry Medvedev May 7, the Russian business daily Kommersant reported.
Dmitry Pankin, a Russian deputy finance minister, has confirmed the $1 billion deal without disclosing any details, Kommersant said.
The Kilo-class Project 636 submarines are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters.
Caracas is also in talks with Moscow to buy 12 Il-76 military transport aircraft for the Venezuelan air force, the business daily added.
Venezuela, the fourth largest arms buyer from Russia after China, India and Algeria, has so far purchased some $3 billion worth of arms from Russia, including military helicopters, Kalashnikovs and Sukhoi fighter jets.
(Press TV)
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Russia has a long and well documented history of influencing Venezuela. Venezuela is the country that started OPEC under the urging of the Soviet Union. Soviet Union wanted a unionized oil conglomerate, it was easier to spread anti-western and anti-capitalists ideas and influence if they were dealing with a collective organization.
This should not be surprising.
April 7th, 2008 at 4:47 pmI hope their subs have screen doors.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:09 pmTheir domestically produce subs didn’t come back from their first patrol, Chavez thinks the Yanquis sabotaged the adobe used in their construction.
I’m bettin these end up on Ebay within six months.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:14 pmHo-hum…that’s nice. We could blow those subs right out of the water. Being as they’re for shallow water duty, they won’t be hard to find - or hard to destroy.
April 7th, 2008 at 6:19 pmTwo torpedoes…two subs…Two subs sunk… I feel a yawn comming on…..
April 7th, 2008 at 8:22 pmThe song Yellow Submarine come’s to my head.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:51 pmSeriously, the concern is not for our military craft but for Venezuela’s neighbors and commercial shipping. If they decide to go after Columbia and fuck with their ports it could be real ugly. Another reason we need to get that trade agreement with Columbia sewed up because their current President is doing our work against the commies narco-terrorists down there and closer trade ties to us will keep the country in our camp even after he is gone.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:34 pmDuring the last few months, Chavez, along with the President of Argentina, have been mumbling about the Falkland islands. What they seem to want is an enemy they can use to unify South America. So far, the US has not taken the bait, but if the economy in Argentina starts to get worse, the present leadership there might use the Falklands to switch public opinion. As far as the Subs themselves, after they are delivered, they won’t last too long. The Boats will require alot of maintainance that the Venezuelan Navy cannot handle.
April 8th, 2008 at 5:26 amLooks like target practice to me
April 8th, 2008 at 7:11 amGood. Buy them Chavez you ding-a-ling.
As others suggested, target practise time.
We all live in a sinking submarine.
April 8th, 2008 at 7:40 amA sinking submarine.
A sinking submarine.
We all live in a sinking submarine.