Pedro el Grande: "Peter the Great" enters the Caribbean

Presidents Chavez and Medvedev to board
nuclear missile cruiser for ceremonies

by
Ernesto Cienfuegos
La Voz de Aztlan

Russian newscaster reports the arrival of the Russian Navy in Venezuela

Russian cruiser Peter the Great flies the Venezuelan flag

Los Angeles, Alta California - November 26, 2008 - (ACN) The Russian Navy arrived in Venezuelan territorial waters yesterday and was welcome by the Venezuelan Armed Forces with a 21 gun salute and Su-30s jet fighters flying overhead.The Russian naval flotilla that includes the nuclear missile cruiser "Peter the Great" and the submarine destroyer "Admiral Chabanenko" arrived at the Venezuelan port of La Guiaira with great fanfare. The Admiral Chabanenko had a military orchestra on board playing the national anthems of Russia and Venezuela and the Peter the Great was flying the Venezuelan flag as dictated by tradition when naval ships visit another country. (See exclusive video of Russian Navy arriving in Puerto La Guiaira below)

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will arrive in Venezuela today after a tour of Peru and other South American nations. President Hugo Chavez and President Dmitry Medvedev will board Russia's largest naval ship "Peter the Great" for a ceremony to start large naval and military exercises that will commence on December 1st. The nuclear missile cruiser "Peter the Great" is the largest non-aircraft-carrier in the world and carries a large number of missiles capable of being armed with nuclear bombs. ( See exclusive video of Peter the Great's capabilities below)

Russian sailors aboard the Admiral Chabanenko at attention and firing ship's cannons in response to 21 gun salute by Venezuela

Russian military orchestra playing the national anthems of Russia and Venezuela

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is also scheduled to meet with Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz and Raul Castro of Cuba. Huge festivities will be held in Havana, Cuba in honor of the Russian president's visit. Russia is making great inroads into Latin America both militarily and economic and Bolivia and Venezuela recently expelled the US Ambassadors from their countries. The military quagmire that the USA finds itself in Iraq and Afghanistan has cost it dearly. The country is now in a deep economic recession due largely to the huge expenditures it has had to make in the two wars. This situation has left the doors wide open in South America for both Russia and Iran.

As the Russian Navy approached Puerto La Guiaira, Venezuela showed off its Sukhoi fighter jets recently purchased from Russia, which performed a flyover as the naval task force approached. President Chávez has bought more than $4 billion in Russian arms since 2005 and is expected to conclude more deals during President Medvedev’s visit. There are also oil, energy and other joint economic projects planned.

Venezuela gives Russian Navy a 21 gun salute

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VIDEOS

Russian Navy arrives in Venezuela

Capabilities of Peter the Great (Pedro el Grande)