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Russia, Venezuela Hint at Submarine Deal
By NABI ABDULLAEV, MOSCOW, and CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS, WASHINGTON
Rhetoric about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’ ambitions to expand his submarine fleet heated up recently, but so far no official deals have been signed.
Chavez visited Russia from June 30 to July 2 — a trip during which some expected an agreement to be announced — but speaking on Vene-zuelan national television on July 4, he said only that he intends to buy submarines, helicopters and cargo aircraft from Russia.
The submarines are only for defense, Chavez said.
In Moscow, Sergei Chemezov, head of the Russian state military export monopoly Rosoboronexport, confirmed July 5 that negotiations are under way to sell submarines to Venezuela.
Chemezov’s aide, Innokenty Naletov, told a press conference in St. Petersburg that Venezuela seeks to buy five Project 636 Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines for about $200 million apiece. The submarines, similar to those in service in the Russian navy and exported to China, India and Iran, would be built in Russia.
Venezuela operates two German-built Type 209 submarines dating from the mid-1970s. Plans to replace the subs and expand the submarine fleet were announced in September 2005, and Chavez has said he would like to buy nine new submarines along with more than a hundred surface ships.
Although Venezuela owns a relatively sizeable fleet of frigates, fast missile craft and amphibious ships, all of its combatant ships are more than 20 years old.
Russia and Venezuela last year signed military export contracts for $3.5 billion, which made the Latin American country Moscow’s fifth-biggest arms client, according to Rosoboronexport. Chemezov — speaking with journalists July 2 while showing Chavez the Rostvertol helicopter plant in Rostov-on-Don — said that 10 of 24 Su-30MK2 fighters and 15 of 53 Mi-17V5, Mi-35 and Mi-26 helicopters contracted by Venezuela last July already have been delivered.
Also, 100,000 Kalashnikov AK47 assault rifles have been shipped to Venezuela and a plant for licensed manufacture of the Kalashnikovs is being built by Russian specialists in Venezuela.
Chavez is a frequent critic of the U.S., but his trip — which also included stops in Iran and Belarus — did not provoke a direct response from U.S. officials.
Thomas Shannon, an assistant U.S. secretary of state, said at a July 7 press briefing in Washington that the sub deal is to be decided between Venezuela and Russia.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also brushed aside the Venezuelan president when asked July 9 about his trip.
“We have a positive agenda for Latin America and it has very little to do with worrying about criticism for Hugo Chavez,†she told a group of Latin American journalists.
Whether Chavez has funds to buy the subs also is a question.
“His oil revenues have been falling since 2002, and that’s really where the money comes from,†naval analyst A.D. Baker III said in Williamsburg, Va. “He’s already spent about $2.4 billion on Russian aircraft and Kalashnikovs, and he’s not paid for all of that.â€
Baker also questioned Roso-boronexport’s statements about the submarine sale. Recently, he said, the monopoly announced a sale of Kilo submarines to Algeria, but no contract has been signed.
“They’re looking at an emptying order book and trying desperately to fill it,†Baker said.
Earlier this year, Rosoboronexport’s Chemezov called arms sales to Venezuela “the biggest breakthrough†achieved by his agency in years.
Norman Friedman, a New York-based naval analyst, agreed with Baker’s assessment.
“I think Chavez is spending the money before he has it,†Friedman said. “And the Russians might be willing to give him stuff before he can pay for it.â€
Acquisition of new submarines would be a threat to the U.S., Friedman noted. “Venezuelan subs are the only weapon Chavez has which can physically hurt Americans,†he said.
Ruslan Pukhov, a defense analyst at the Center for Defense Information, a Moscow think tank, said that Rosoboronexport to some extent exploits Chavez’ predilection for anti-U.S. rhetoric, providing him with international recognition as he visits Russia in exchange for arms contracts.
By NABI ABDULLAEV, MOSCOW, and CHRISTOPHER P. CAVAS, WASHINGTON
Rhetoric about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’ ambitions to expand his submarine fleet heated up recently, but so far no official deals have been signed.
Chavez visited Russia from June 30 to July 2 — a trip during which some expected an agreement to be announced — but speaking on Vene-zuelan national television on July 4, he said only that he intends to buy submarines, helicopters and cargo aircraft from Russia.
The submarines are only for defense, Chavez said.
In Moscow, Sergei Chemezov, head of the Russian state military export monopoly Rosoboronexport, confirmed July 5 that negotiations are under way to sell submarines to Venezuela.
Chemezov’s aide, Innokenty Naletov, told a press conference in St. Petersburg that Venezuela seeks to buy five Project 636 Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines for about $200 million apiece. The submarines, similar to those in service in the Russian navy and exported to China, India and Iran, would be built in Russia.
Venezuela operates two German-built Type 209 submarines dating from the mid-1970s. Plans to replace the subs and expand the submarine fleet were announced in September 2005, and Chavez has said he would like to buy nine new submarines along with more than a hundred surface ships.
Although Venezuela owns a relatively sizeable fleet of frigates, fast missile craft and amphibious ships, all of its combatant ships are more than 20 years old.
Russia and Venezuela last year signed military export contracts for $3.5 billion, which made the Latin American country Moscow’s fifth-biggest arms client, according to Rosoboronexport. Chemezov — speaking with journalists July 2 while showing Chavez the Rostvertol helicopter plant in Rostov-on-Don — said that 10 of 24 Su-30MK2 fighters and 15 of 53 Mi-17V5, Mi-35 and Mi-26 helicopters contracted by Venezuela last July already have been delivered.
Also, 100,000 Kalashnikov AK47 assault rifles have been shipped to Venezuela and a plant for licensed manufacture of the Kalashnikovs is being built by Russian specialists in Venezuela.
Chavez is a frequent critic of the U.S., but his trip — which also included stops in Iran and Belarus — did not provoke a direct response from U.S. officials.
Thomas Shannon, an assistant U.S. secretary of state, said at a July 7 press briefing in Washington that the sub deal is to be decided between Venezuela and Russia.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also brushed aside the Venezuelan president when asked July 9 about his trip.
“We have a positive agenda for Latin America and it has very little to do with worrying about criticism for Hugo Chavez,†she told a group of Latin American journalists.
Whether Chavez has funds to buy the subs also is a question.
“His oil revenues have been falling since 2002, and that’s really where the money comes from,†naval analyst A.D. Baker III said in Williamsburg, Va. “He’s already spent about $2.4 billion on Russian aircraft and Kalashnikovs, and he’s not paid for all of that.â€
Baker also questioned Roso-boronexport’s statements about the submarine sale. Recently, he said, the monopoly announced a sale of Kilo submarines to Algeria, but no contract has been signed.
“They’re looking at an emptying order book and trying desperately to fill it,†Baker said.
Earlier this year, Rosoboronexport’s Chemezov called arms sales to Venezuela “the biggest breakthrough†achieved by his agency in years.
Norman Friedman, a New York-based naval analyst, agreed with Baker’s assessment.
“I think Chavez is spending the money before he has it,†Friedman said. “And the Russians might be willing to give him stuff before he can pay for it.â€
Acquisition of new submarines would be a threat to the U.S., Friedman noted. “Venezuelan subs are the only weapon Chavez has which can physically hurt Americans,†he said.
Ruslan Pukhov, a defense analyst at the Center for Defense Information, a Moscow think tank, said that Rosoboronexport to some extent exploits Chavez’ predilection for anti-U.S. rhetoric, providing him with international recognition as he visits Russia in exchange for arms contracts.