{"id":60063,"date":"2018-12-10T22:07:34","date_gmt":"2018-12-10T22:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/12\/10\/russia-sends-2-nuclear-capable-bombers-to-venezuela\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:25:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:25:56","slug":"russia-sends-2-nuclear-capable-bombers-to-venezuela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/12\/10\/russia-sends-2-nuclear-capable-bombers-to-venezuela\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia sends 2 nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"9344\" height=\"5788\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-13152\" data-id=\"13152\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02_russian-military-aircraft_venezuela_10dec2018_-copy.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02_russian-military-aircraft_venezuela_10dec2018_-copy.jpg.jpg 9344w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02_russian-military-aircraft_venezuela_10dec2018_-copy.jpg.jpg?resize=300,186 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02_russian-military-aircraft_venezuela_10dec2018_-copy.jpg.jpg?resize=768,476 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02_russian-military-aircraft_venezuela_10dec2018_-copy.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,634 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02_russian-military-aircraft_venezuela_10dec2018_-copy.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,951 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/02_russian-military-aircraft_venezuela_10dec2018_-copy.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1269 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 9344px) 100vw, 9344px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Satellite photos provided by DigitalGlobe show two Russian nuclear-capable Tu-160 Blackjack bombers along with a heavy-lift AN-124 cargo plane and an Il-62 passenger plane outside of Venezuela&#8217;s capital on Dec. 10, 2018. (DigitalGlobe)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"9999\" height=\"6156\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-13169\" data-id=\"13169\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_overview-of-simon-bolivar-airport_venezuela_10dec2018_wv1_.jpg.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_overview-of-simon-bolivar-airport_venezuela_10dec2018_wv1_.jpg.jpg 9999w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_overview-of-simon-bolivar-airport_venezuela_10dec2018_wv1_.jpg.jpg?resize=300,185 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_overview-of-simon-bolivar-airport_venezuela_10dec2018_wv1_.jpg.jpg?resize=768,473 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_overview-of-simon-bolivar-airport_venezuela_10dec2018_wv1_.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,630 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_overview-of-simon-bolivar-airport_venezuela_10dec2018_wv1_.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,946 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/01_overview-of-simon-bolivar-airport_venezuela_10dec2018_wv1_.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1261 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 9999px) 100vw, 9999px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Two Russian nuclear-capable Tu-160 bombers along with a heavy-lift AN-124 cargo plane and an Il-62 passenger plane landed at Maiquetia airport outside of Caracas, Venezuela on Dec. 10, 2018. (DigitalGlobe)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MOSCOW \u2014 Two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers arrived in Venezuela on Monday, a deployment that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russia\u2019s Defense Ministry said a pair<a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2018\/08\/16\/russian-strategic-bombers-conduct-exercise-near-alaska\/\" target=_blank> Tu-160 bombers<\/a> landed at Maiquetia airport outside Caracas on Monday following a 10,000-kilometer (6,200-mile) flight. It didn\u2019t say if the bombers were carrying any weapons and didn\u2019t say how long they will stay in Venezuela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ministry said the bombers were shadowed by Norwegian F-18 fighter jets during part of their flight. It added that a heavy-lift An-124 Ruslan cargo plane and an Il-62 passenger plane accompanied the bombers to Maiquetia.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/industry\/techwatch\/2018\/02\/15\/modernized-tu-160-to-boost-russias-long-range-striking-power\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"181\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-472751912.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Modernized Tu-160 to boost Russia\u2019s long-range striking power<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">In Kazan, east of Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin watched as a massive, stark-white shape emerge from a dense, low-hanging fog.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Tu-160 is capable of carrying conventional or nuclear-tipped cruise missiles with a range of 5,500 kilometers (3,410 miles). Such bombers took part in Russia&#8217;s campaign in Syria, where they launched conventionally-armed Kh-101 cruise missiles for the first time in combat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Code-named Blackjack by NATO, the massive warplane is capable of flying at a speed twice exceeding the speed of sound. Russia has upgraded its Tu-160 fleet with new weapons and electronics and plans to produce a modernized version of the bomber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"713\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18344631758251.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94075\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18344631758251.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18344631758251.jpg.jpg?resize=300,178 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18344631758251.jpg.jpg?resize=768,456 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18344631758251.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,608 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In this Aug. 16, 2005, file photo, a supersonic Tu-160 strategic bomber with Russian President Vladimir Putin aboard flies above an airfield near the northern city of Murmansk. The Russian military says two of its nuclear-capable strategic bombers have arrived in Venezuela, a deployment that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions. (Alexei Panov\/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bombers&#8217; deployment follows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro&#8217;s visit to Moscow last week in a bid to shore up political and economic assistance even as his country has been struggling to pay billions of dollars owed to Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russia is a major political ally of Venezuela, which has become increasingly isolated in the world under growing sanctions led by the U.S. and the European Union, which accuse Maduro of undermining democratic institutions to hold onto power, while overseeing an economic and political crisis that is worse than the Great Depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at last week&#8217;s meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart Vladimir Padrino Lopez that Russia would continue to send its military aircraft and warships to visit Venezuela as part of bilateral military cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russia sent its Tu-160 strategic bombers and a missile cruiser to visit Venezuela in 2008 amid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2018\/10\/29\/despite-rumblings-of-a-coup-us-military-remains-focused-on-humanitarian-assistance-in-venezuelan-crisis\/\" target=_blank>tensions with the U.S. <\/a>after Russia\u2019s brief war with Georgia. A pair of Tu-160s also visited Venezuela in 2013.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2018\/09\/26\/trump-venezuelan-socialist-president-could-easily-be-toppled-by-military\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP18268631844818.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Trump: Venezuelan socialist president could easily be toppled by military<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">But does he plan a U.S.-led military intervention?<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Russia-U.S. relations are currently at post-Cold War lows over Ukraine, the war in Syria and allegations of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2018\/08\/07\/mattis-says-russia-sanctioned-2016-election-meddling-outlines-protections-for-midterms\/\" target=\"_blank\">Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election<\/a>. Russia has bristled at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2018\/10\/25\/russia-threatens-response-to-huge-nato-exercise-says-its-new-weapons-will-be-unrivaled-anywhere\/\" target=\"_blank\">U.S. and other NATO allies<\/a> deploying their troops and weapons near its borders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked about the Russian bombers, Pentagon spokesman Col. Rob Manning said he had no specific information about the deployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Manning cited the humanitarian assistance provided in Central and South American by a U.S. Navy hospital ship, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/11\/27\/navy-hospital-ship-comfort-treats-venezuelan-migrants-colombians\/\" target=_blank>the USNS Comfort<\/a>, in the past eight weeks. Numerous Venezuelan migrants were among the people who received medical and dental treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Contrast this with Russia, whose approach to the man-made disaster in Venezuela is to send bomber aircraft instead of humanitarian assistance,&#8221; Manning said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers arrived in Venezuela on Monday, a deployment that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":98009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":13,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,13,24,89,16,26,65],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1323],"class_list":["post-60063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pentagon-congress"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"L5N2MYDBNNAKXCE7WDH2CPVGQI","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2018\/12\/10\/russia-sends-2-nuclear-capable-bombers-to-venezuela\/","remove_feature_photo":true,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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