VENEZUELAN-RUSSIAN EXERCISE WAS NO WORKOUT

S E C R E T CARACAS 001677 NOFORN SIPDIS USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/15/2018 TAGS: MCAP PGOV PREL RU VE SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN-RUSSIAN EXERCISE WAS NO WORKOUT REF: CARACAS 1263 Classified By: Francisco Fernandez Political Counselor, for Reason 1.4(d). ¶1. (S/NOFORN) SUMMARY: Despite the heavy media attention, the Venezuelan-Russian naval exercise was a rudimentary affair, and Russian efforts to down play its importance were very clear. The BRV hoped to use the fact the exercise took place at the same time as a state visit by Russian President Medvedev to underscore that Moscow backed Chavez. Public comments by Russian officials, especially Putin's statement disavowing any intention to build naval bases in Venezuela, seemed aimed at tamping down such expectations. End Summary. ¶2. (S/NOFORN) Despite Chavez' high rhetoric over deepening Russian-Venezuela relations, the VEN-RUS 2008 port visit and exercises were fraught with preventable problems. The Russian ship visit overlapped with Russian president Dimitri Medvedev's visit to Caracas. Fisticuffs broke out on the gangway of the ADMIRAL CHABANENKO as the security details of Chavez and Medvedev sorted out who would board first during a November 27 ship visit, and no offiical visits to the flagship, the PETER THE GREAT, were permitted. DATT Caracas attended a hastily convened November 28 reception aboard the ADMIRAL CHABANENKO where he spoke to officers and crew, at times through a Russian interpreter. None of the Russians spoke Spanish and the Russian were surprised that no Venezuelan officers spoke English. The Russians displayed little knowledge of Venezuela and were skeptical of the training value of the upcoming exercise. A Russian that had toured one of the LUPO frigates found it to be outdated, in poor material condition with substandard crew quarters. The DATT observed that Russian officers where struck by the slums covering the hillsides overlooking the port. ¶3. (SBU) Russian sailors bused into Caracas on November 29 visited one of the very upmarket shopping malls only to find the merchants would not accept their dollars. When the local bank only offered to change money at the artificially low official rate of BsF 2.15, the enterprising seamen could be seen at the mall entrance bargaining better exchange rates with passersby. Some 22 Russian officers ensconced in the presidential suite of the Gran Melia, a five-star hotel surrounded by a seedy neighborhood, experienced another aspect of Venezuelan life when their room was burgled, losing at least USD $ 1,200 and personal valuables. ¶4. (SBU) The actual exercise, VENRUS 2008, lasted a mere 10 hours. Three Venezuela frigates and the four Russian ships headed at 0500 on December 1, to an exercise area near La Orchilla island. According to local media, Venezuelan LUPO class frigates MARISCAL SURCE F-21, ALMIRANTE BRION F-22, and ALMIRANTE SOUBLETTE F-24 steamed some 50 nautical miles in the company of the Russians. The state-run Bolivarian News Agency (ABN) reported that five exercises, covering communications, refueling and replenishment at sea, exchange of aircraft, air defense and anti-terrorism were completed. ¶5. (SBU) State-controlled VTV, the only television broadcaster allowed to cover the event, showed the ships steaming in formation, a Venezuelan Navy BELL 412 UH-1 helicopter delivering VADM Luis Alberto Morales Marquez aboard KIROV class cruiser PETER THE GREAT, a Russian KA-27 HELIX helicopter from the UDALOY class destroyer ADMIRAL CHABANENKO was shown winching down Russian commandos to the flight deck of a Venezuelan frigate as part of the commando exercise. Still pictures showed a forcible entry to a ship's compartment. One Su-30 FLANKER was shown making a slow and low level pass over the formation. Curiously, the replenishment at sea, which had been described in detail in the ABN wire service, was not shown. ¶6. (C) Comment: The BRV took great pains to advertise this exercise as a demonstration of Venezuela's naval prowess as well as its growing relationship with Moscow. Despite state media attempts to reinforce this portrayal, the facts of the exercise and the actions of Russian officials, including President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin, belie the coverage. Local opinion is that the Russians wanted to send the USG a message that they could play in our backyard, but in no way wanted the level of closeness the BRV sought. End Comment. GENNATIEMPO