[Hugo] Chávez closer to purchasing weapons from Russia

Speculation about the sale of Russian weapons to Venezuela has surfaced as Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is scheduled to arrive at Moscow.

Chávez will stay in Russia until today, as part of his tour of Libya, Syria, Algeria, Iran, and Belarus which was interrupted by his surprise presence at the Venice Film Festival to attend the screening of a documentary filmmaker Oliver Stone dedicated to him.

Venezuelan media and international news agencies today based themselves on information from the Russian Interfax agency to feed speculation about the arms sale.

“Venezuela is currently negotiating new arms contracts which will probably be signed during Hugo Chávez's visit to Moscow," an unidentified Russian source close to "the arms-export structure" declared.

According to this same source, the contract would include the sale of three Varchavianka-class diesel and electric submarines, BMP-3 infantry combat vehicles, T-72 battle tanks, 10 Mi-28 combat helicopters, and several coastal-missile batteries.

The visit may also include the purchase of Tor-M1 land-to-air missile systems, Ilushyn I1-96 reconnaissance airplanes, Mirazh high-speed patrol boats, and Murena-E landing craft, the Interfax agency indicates.

The South American leader is scheduled to attend the Russia-Venezuela Business Forum today and meet tomorrow with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Interesting mix of equipment. Let's have a looksee here:

"BMP-3 infantry combat vehicles, T-72 battle tanks"

The T-72's will probably be export models, meaning downgraded fire controls, less complex (and less effective) armor, and the like. Still gonna have that big five inch gun, though, which is still very bad news against older tanks and light armor. I'd bet that these T-72's will probably be used machines that are a bit worn out (Russians did a lot of "dumping" of old vehicles to client states during the Cold War), though that may not be the case.

The BMP-3 packs a lot of wallop - 100 mm gun/missile system, 30mm autocannon, machine guns, and (IIRC) a grenade launcher. Still highly vulnerable to AT weapons - BMP's and BTR's took a beating in Chechnya.

"10 Mi-28 combat helicopters"

I love the look of the "Havoc". Supposed to be a good bird - well armored, heavily armed, all-weather capability. The real question is how good the Venezuelan crews will be and how well they will be able to maintain the Havoc. Sophisticated systems require a lot of care.

"The visit may also include the purchase of Tor-M1 land-to-air missile systems, Ilushyn I1-96 reconnaissance airplanes".

Don't know a lot about the Tor-M1 system. The IL-96 is the commercial airliner of choice of Aeroflot and Zimbabwe (and a few others). Supposed to be (according to Wiki) equivalent of a Boeing 777 or Airbus 300.

OK, I can see that the choppers would be useful for ferrying barbecue supplies and cold drinks, but where in Venezuela is a place where tanks would be useful?

Maybe keeping crowds at bay in downtown Caracas? The BMT? Probably a good idea for Hugo to be driven to the office in one of these.

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