Padrino noted that Russian aircraft had visited before in 2013, but said their current deployment was part of a “new experience.”
He said exercises would be held to “raise the level of interoperability of the aerospace defense systems” of both countries.
It was unclear how long the Russian deployment would last, and Padrino did not provide details about the exercises planned.
In recent years, Venezuela has purchased millions of dollars in military equipment from Russia, he said.
Venezuela acquired 24 Sukhoi-30 Russian fighters and signed a deal to purchase 53 MI-24 helicopter gunships and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles in 2016.
– ‘Psychological warfare’ –
Former defense minister Raul Salazar said the exercises with Russia “are part of what is called psychological warfare.”
“The purpose is to increase the perception that Venezuela is supported by Russia, China and Belarus, that it has the support of a power, in case another power tries to invade,” Salazar told AFP.
Maduro on Sunday said Washington had set in motion a plan to overthrow him, with the support of neighboring Colombia.
“Underway today is an attempt to disrupt the democratic life of Venezuela, coordinated directly from the White House,” said Maduro, who claims he was the target of an August 4 drone attack hatched by Venezuela’s opposition with the support of the US and Colombian governments.
Caracas’ defence minister said “nobody in the world should fear the presence of these strategic fighter bombers. We are builders of peace and not of war.”
Padrino added however that other countries in the region had created “political and military imbalances” against which the Venezuelan government could not stand idly by — an apparent reference to Bogota, which Caracas has accused of harboring US military bases.
© Agence France-Presse
