JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Suggests Military Deployment to Venezuela, Cuba if Tensions With U.S. Remain High” – WSJ

File Photo of Wendy Sherman and Sergei Ryabkov Standing In Front of U.S. and Russian Flags, adapted from image at state.gov

“Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybakov said Moscow couldn’t exclude sending ‘military infrastructure’ to the two countries as tensions with U.S. soar and says talks have stalled.” “… Ryabkov said Thursday that Moscow couldn’t exclude dispatching ‘military infrastructure’ to Venezuela or Cuba if tensions with Washington — which have soared in recent weeks over a huge buildup of Russian troops on […]

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Russia’s Energy Czar, Disliked And Feared, Catches Blame As Oil Prices Collapse, Venezuela Deals Crumble

File Photo of Rosneft and Russian Flags Next to Rosneft Banner

March was the cruelest month for one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s longest-serving and most hawkish confidants[,] Igor Sechin … head of state oil company Rosneft …

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia in the Gray Zone” – Aspen Institute/ Kathleen Hicks

File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

“… Russia is waging campaigns … [to influence world affairs with a] significant number of … tactics … [falling] between routine statecraft and direct and open warfare …. Americans … familiar with Russia’s disinformation efforts in the United States and its use of ‘little green men’ in Ukraine … may be less attuned to stepped-up Russian political and economic coercion […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “In a Blow to Maduro, Russia Withdraws Key Defense Support to Venezuela” – Wall Street Journal/ Thomas Grove,Alan Cullison, Maolis Castro

Venezuela Map, adapted from image at cia.gov

Russia has been one of Maduro’s major supporters in its standoff with the U.S. “Russia has withdrawn key defense advisers from Venezuela, an embarrassment for … Maduro as Moscow weighs the leader’s political and economic resilience against … U.S. pressure. Russian state defense contractor Rostec … trained Venezuelan troops and advised on … arms contracts, [but reportedly now] has cut […]

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RUSSIALINK: “Peskov refers question on Russian specialists in Venezuela to organizations servicing hardware there” – Interfax

Dmitry Peskov file photo adapted from image at kremlin.ru/wikimedia commons

MOSCOW. June 3 (Interfax) – Media reports alleging that a group of Russian specialists is leaving Venezuela is a question not for the Kremlin but for the organizations responsible for the maintenance of special hardware shipped there, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said. Asked by journalists on Monday to comment on reports that a large group of Russian specialists has […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s Venezuela motives: It’s about the U.S., not Maduro.” – Christian Science Monitor/ Fred Weir

Venezuela Map, adapted from image at cia.gov

“Historically, when Washington and Moscow have butted heads over a power struggle in a third-party nation, it’s been in a Cold War context. But the core issue over their divide on Venezuela today is simpler: staking out turf.” “… Russian affinity for former Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez’ Bolivarian Socialism has no part in it. … The U.S. demands that Russia […]

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Russia Replaces Venezuelan Crude On European Markets

Oil Well file photo

(Oilprice.com – Irina Slav – April 12, 2019) European refiners are switching to Russian sour grades as U.S. sanctions have shrunk Venezuela’s similar-grade exports, Reuters reports, adding that the Russian sour crude is getting increasingly expensive. Citing sources from the trading industry, Reuters says the situation has been made worse by the fact that OPEC members have cut mainly their […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Is Venezuela where Trump finally stands up to Putin?” – Washington Post/ Fareed Zakaria

Venezuela Map, adapted from image at cia.gov

“… [the] Trump … administration has made absolutely clear that the United States no longer considers … Maduro to be [Venezuela’s] president, publicly backing Juan Guaidó, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, as … interim leader. … go[ing] so far as to urge the Venezuelan military not to follow Maduro’s orders. … declarations … much stronger than the ‘red line’ […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Venezuela Sets the Stage for a Putin-Trump Confrontation; In the past, Trump has taken hard stances against Russia, only to back away” – Moscow Times/ Lincoln Mitchell, Tinatin Japaridze

Venezuela Map, adapted from image at cia.gov

“… the economic tragedy in Venezuela has evolved into a full-blown political crisis. Demands for President Nicolas Maduro’s ouster, now fronted by the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly Juan Guaido, have reached fever pitch as years of his misrule have destroyed Venezuela’s once prosperous economy. … the decision [by Trump] to recognize Guaido as the legitimate Venezuelan leader is […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Enforce the Monroe Doctrine on Russian Moves in Latin America; The Trump administration needs to adopt a firmer policy toward Moscow’s intrusions into Latin America” – The National Interest/ Ted Galen Carpenter

Latin America Map

“… Moscow[ has sent] two nuclear-capable bombers to Venezuela to show support for Nicolas Maduro’s leftist regime. Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu said … Russia would continue to send military aircraft and warships to visit Venezuela as part of … bilateral military cooperation. … The Trump administration increasingly is concerned about the Maduro regime’s ugly authoritarianism, the meltdown of the […]

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The Biggest Threat To Dollar Dominance

Diverse Paper Currency, Coins, Line Graph

(Oilprice.com – Irina Slav – November 12, 2018) Russian oil exporters are pressuring Western commodity traders to pay for Russian crude in euros and not dollars as Washington prepares more sanctions for the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Moscow, Reuters reported last week, citing as many as seven industry sources. While it may have come as a surprise to the […]

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NEWSWATCH: “Russia Uses Its Oil Giant, Rosneft, as a Foreign Policy Tool” – New York Times/ Clifford Krauss

File Photo of Rosneft and Russian Flags Next to Rosneft Banner

“Russia is increasingly wielding oil as a geopolitical tool, spreading … influence … and challenging the interests of the United States. … Moscow risks running into trouble … lend[ing] money and mak[ing] deals in turbulent economies and shaky political climates. The strategy faces a crucial test this week in Venezuela, a Russian ally that must come up with a billion dollars to avert […]

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NEWSLINK: Chavez’s death puts under threat Russia’s position in Latin America

Venezuela Map

[Chavez’s death puts under threat Russia’s position in Latin America – ITAR-TASS – March 7, 2013 – http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c142/669826.html] ITAR-TASS takes a look at Russian press coverage of the death of Venezuelan strong-man Huge Chavez, and the impact upon Russian interests: The Russian newspapers publish broad comments on possible consequences of the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. According to some […]

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