Putin ‘sends top general to Venezuela along with troops tasked with training up President Maduro’s forces’ as US considers attacking South American country

Vladimir Putin sent one of his top generals to Venezuela with troops tasked with training Nicolás Maduro’s forces, according to a Ukrainian intelligence official.

The statement comes as the United States continues to amass a large military presence in the region and Donald Trump is considering an attack on the South American country.

Ukrainian Lieutenant General Kyrlo Budanov said Colonel General Oleg Makarevich leads Russia’s ‘Equator Task Force’, which consists of more than 120 personnel who coach the Venezuelan army on everything from infantry tactics to the use of drones.

Budanov claims that the Russian mission was already in place before the United States significantly increased the number of equipment and personnel near Venezuela.

The Ukrainian spy chief spoke at a time when the Trump administration maintains large numbers of US warships, aircraft and troops near Venezuelan waters.

Washington says the deployment targets drug traffickers but is also part of a campaign to pressure Maduro to resign. Trump’s top advisers, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, are said to have offered him military operation options.

Budanov argued that Makarevich and his men would not leave if the United States launched an attack.

He told The War Zone: ‘I think they will be behind the scenes and officially Russia will try to talk to the US because their units are in Venezuela. “It’s just a game.”

He described the Russian contingent as ‘military advisors and also teachers,’ and said they were providing training for infantry units, UAV operators and special forces. He added that the task force also helped Venezuela gather signals intelligence.

Vladimir Putin is seen in a screenshot with Oleg Makarevich in April 2023. The senior military official is said to have been in Venezuela even before the United States began assembling its military presence.

Budanov said that Russia’s presence is not new, explaining that Moscow has had rotating advisory teams in Venezuela for years.

While Makarevich’s stay appears to have extended beyond the usual six-month rotation, he said Russia has not seen any increase in numbers since the U.S. reinforcements began.

In the documents shared by Budanov, it is stated that Makarevich and approximately ninety Russian personnel are in Caracas, while others are on duty in Maracaibo, La Guaira and Aves Island.

The United States also provides operational guidance and observation roles in many countries, training and advising partner forces in Latin America.

Earlier this month, a senior Russian lawmaker, Alexei Zhuravlev, listed a number of weapons the country claimed to have sent to Venezuela, including SU-30MK2 fighter jets and S-300VMs. He also said that Putin also sent the Pantsir-S1, which is not known to be among Venezuela’s arsenal.

However, Budanov said he could not confirm Zhuravlev’s claims. He noted: ‘We see Buk-M2,’ he said. ‘The Pantsir we don’t know about.’

Zhuravlev warned that Russia could send more advanced weapons to the country, including long-range missiles.

Western officials have also expressed concerns that Moscow could supply Iranian-style Shahid drones capable of long-range strikes.

For years, Venezuela was Russia’s most important trading and military partner in South America. Earlier this year, Putin and Maduro signed an agreement strengthening their partnership.

Putin and Maduro were in Moscow earlier this year. Venezuela was Russia’s most important partner in South America for years

Makarevich, 62, is widely seen as a controversial figure; He was removed from command of Russia’s Dnipro Group in October 2023 after Ukrainian forces expelled Russian troops from Kherson a year ago.

Ukraine also accused him of ordering the demolition of the Nova Kakhovka dam, which caused major flooding in June 2023.

He was accused of leading deliberate attacks on innocent civilians in Grozny in 2002, during the second Chechen war.

Fears that the US would launch an attack on Venezuela peaked after Trump sent the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the 3,106ft USS Gerald R Ford, to the region.

More than 4,000 sailors, along with fighter aircraft and support ships including USS Rampage and USS Normandy, arrived in Caribbean waters on November 11.

Participating in the deployment are AV-8 Harrier jump jets and AH-1 attack helicopters, as well as 10 U.S. Marine Corps F-35s based in Puerto Rico, just 500 miles from Venezuela.

There are currently around 12,700 US personnel in the region.

Mobile air traffic towers and communications equipment normally used to manage the influx of aircraft in war zones were also moved to Rafael Hernandez Airport in Puerto Rico.

Ground crews work around U.S. Marine Corps F-35B fighter jets parked on the tarmac of a military base in Puerto Rico

USS Gerald R. Ford is the world’s largest aircraft carrier, leading support ships as they sail toward the Caribbean. The ships arrived on November 13

Trump’s primary military adviser, Gen. Dan Caine, was in Puerto Rico yesterday and senior military officials said troops were standing by for Trump’s permission to launch an attack.

Yesterday, General Dan Caine, the US president’s primary military advisor, visited troops stationed in Puerto Rico to ‘engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support of regional missions.’

Senior officials in the US said the military was waiting for the US president to authorize the attack. Despite this, many analysts stated that the United States would need much more personnel to launch a successful attack.

Recent tensions culminated in September when the United States rammed a small boat allegedly smuggling drugs, killing 11 people.

Since then, the US has opened fire on at least 21 ships, killing 83 people. Maduro and other leaders in the region have strongly rebuked the US actions.

The United States has so far provided no evidence to support claims that the boats are part of a drug trafficking network.

The United States has accused Maduro of leading and protecting a criminal network known as the Sun Cartel. On Monday, the group was designated as a terrorist organization.

Maduro responded to the roundup of troops and military equipment, accusing him of using the US anti-drug trafficking operation as a cover to attack Venezuela and overthrow its government.

The current debate has escalated further after the US attacked several ships in Caribbean waters since September

It is also said to be mulling different defense options in case the US launches an attack, including arming civilians and launching guerrilla attacks.

Trump has long maintained that Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela.

He accused the South American leader of a series of atrocities and even offered a $50 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

Maduro, 63, who has led his country since 2013, is seen as a dictator who presides over one of the world’s most corrupt governments.

He is also accused of election fraud and various human rights violations.

Human rights groups say he has witnessed thousands of extrajudicial killings since he took office. Millions of people had to leave the country.