Russian General, "bomber" Of Kakhovka Dam To Head Mission In Venezuela
- 23.11.2025, 13:06
The head of Ukraine's GUR, Kirill Budanov, has revealed the details.
Russian General Oleg Makarevich, who ordered the bombing of the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric plant, has led a rotational advisory mission to Venezuela, where more than 120 Russian military personnel are training Venezuelan forces.
The head of Ukraine's GUR, Kirill Budanov, said this, according to The War Zone.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Col. Gen. Oleg Makarevich is in charge of the Russian Defense Ministry's Equatorial Combat Team, which is in Venezuela on a training and advisory mission. Makarevich and more than 120 of his subordinates are training Venezuelan troops in various disciplines, including infantry, drones and special operations, as well as providing electronic intelligence support.
Budanov said the presence of Russian military personnel in Venezuela is not a reaction to the current U.S. troop buildup in the Caribbean region. Ukrainian intelligence notes that the number of Russian forces in the country has not changed since the U.S. operation began, but the stay of Makarevich, who arrived in Venezuela earlier this year, has been extended. Russian commanders' rotations usually last about six months.
Makarevich and about 90 officers and enlisted personnel are based in the capital Caracas, with the rest in Maracaibo, La Guayra and Aves Island. Their activities include assessing the Venezuelan military's combat capabilities, working with armored vehicles, aircraft, artillery, drones and service dogs, as well as surveillance of domestic groups and foreign governments.
Makarevich, who is 62, previously commanded a group of Russian troops in Dnipro, but was dismissed after a counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces in Kherson in 2023. In the past, senior Russian officials have said there were possible deliveries of Pantsir-S1 and Buk-M2E air defense systems and other precision weapons to Venezuela, but their availability has not yet been confirmed.
Budanov also noted that Russian troops would remain in Venezuela "off-stage" during a possible U.S. attack, while Moscow would formally try to negotiate with Washington.