MOSCOW: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said that Caracas is to receive Russian short-range missiles.
Chavez was speaking after returning home from a 10-day world tour, including a visit to Russia.
“Soon some little rockets are going to be arriving,” he said at the presidential palace. “They can fly 300 kms. And they don’t miss their targets.”
“We are not going to attack anybody, these are just defence tools, because we are going to defend our country from any threat, wherever it may come from,” he went on.
He did not say how many missiles would be delivered.
Chavez also said Venezuela would buy Russian T-72 and T-90 tanks
Venezuela is embroiled in a dispute with neighboring Colombia over its plans to allow U.S. troops to deploy to the country.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday after Kremlin talks with Chavez that Russia would sell Venezuela tanks and other types of military equipment.
His announcement came after Chavez had said that Venezuela would recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Russia recognized the former Georgian republics as independent states shortly after last August’s war with Georgia, which began when Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia in a bid to bring it under central control.
