MAIQUETIA, Venezuela – A Russian air force plane landed in Venezuela’s main airport Monday, according to a Reuters witness and a website that tracks plane movements.
An Ilyushin 62 jet with tail number RA-86496 was parked at Simon Bolivar International Airport of the capital Caracas on Monday, three months after a similar arrival prompted a war of words between the United States and Russia, Reuters reported.
Two Russian air force planes landed in Venezuela in March carrying Russian defense officials and 100 troops, leading the United States to accuse Russia of “reckless escalation” of the situation in the struggling South American nation.
U.S. President Donald Trump in March ordered Russia to remove all troops from Venezuela, while Russia’s foreign ministry said the planes were only carrying specialists who were servicing arms sales contracts.
Venezuela’s information ministry and Russia’s defense ministry did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Follow TKG on Twitter & Facebook
