Russia lambasts US threat to impose sanctions over Venezuela

Russia lambasts US threat to impose sanctions over Venezuela
# 30 March 2019 22:23 (UTC +04:00)

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blasted Washington over its "attempts to intimidate" Moscow over its legitimate defence cooperation with Venezuela, saying this effort was "ridiculous," ONA reports citing Sputnik.

"The arrival of Russian experts specialising in military-technical cooperation in Venezuela continues to provoke a nervous reaction in Washington. US officials have even begun saying that the US would consider the appearance of the representatives of armed forces from countries outside the Western Hemisphere as a provocative action posing a threat to regional peace and security," Zakharova said in a statement published by the Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

Engaging in a bit of trolling, Zakharova suggested that politicians in Washington familiarise themselves with a geographical map. "Part of Russia's territory, the Chukotka Peninsula, is located in the Western Hemisphere. So for Russia the American continent is a close neighbour."

Zakharova also refuted claims that Russian Defence Ministry's specialists arrived in Venezuela to conduct "military operations." The Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stressed that Russia had "clearly stated the purpose of the arrival of its specialists in Caracas."

"There can be no talk of any 'military contigents'. Accordingly, speculation about Russia holding some kind of 'military operations' in Venezuela are completely groundless," the spokeswoman noted.

Finally, referring to this week's threats from Washington over the matter, Zakharova stated that the US reaction seemed to be linked to the fact that its "planned prompt coup in Caracas has not succeeded."

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