US to watch Russia's 'Cold-War era' warplanes in Venezuela
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States said Thursday it will monitor two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers, which it described as "Cold War era assets," following their deployment to Venezuela.
"It is something that we will watch very closely, as we have with the movements of other military assets for the stated purpose of this joint exercise," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.
Besides the warplanes, Russia also plans to send warships to Venezuela for joint naval exercises in November.
"I would just note, for example, that our military assets in the region of the Black Sea, for example, are there to deliver humanitarian assistance," McCormack said.
"I will leave it to the Russians and the Venezuelans to describe the purpose of their activities," he added.
The United States sent warships to the Black Sea to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia after Russia launched a military incursion there last month that has inflamed US-Russian tensions.
Asked if he was making a link between events on both continents, McCormack replied: "I am making no linkage whatsoever. I am just pointing out an interesting data point."
McCormack deferred to the Russians when asked if he knew if the Russian bombers were capable of carrying nuclear weapons and whether their presence was troubling or even disturbing.
"These are Cold War era assets and I will leave it to the Russians to describe their capabilities and how they might be equipped," he said.
His remarks fell far short of actually calling the increasingly frosty US-Russian relations a new Cold War.
A spokesman for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said August 27 he saw no threat of a new Cold War between nuclear rivals over the conflict in US-backed Georgia.
A Russian air force spokesman said Thursday that neither of the two Russian strategic bombers that flew to Venezuela on Wednesday are carrying nuclear weapons.
