CARACAS – Caracas has begun acquiring Russian aircraft developed by the Sukhoi aeronautical company after the embargo introduced by the United States, said the Venezuelan ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Jorge Valero.

Sanctions were imposed on the armament and spare parts of its F-16 aircraft, which were in service in the Armed Forces of Venezuela.

He recalled that today virtually all of Venezuela’s weapons are of Russian production, as the US has imposed an embargo on the supply of weapons to the Venezuelan Armed Forces, in particular planes and spare parts.

“Our military used the multi-purpose F-16 fighter jets, which were made in the United States for our Armed Forces, but they [the US] blocked the sale of spare parts to the plane. We started to buy Russian fighters, which proved to be exceptional,” said Suzuki, a diplomat.

Between 2006 and 2008, Russia had already provided Venezuela with 24 Su-30 multi-purpose fighters, which can operate in any weather conditions.

Later, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro expressed his intention to acquire another 12 aircraft of this model.

The advanced Su-34 fighter bomber, based on the Su-27’s cell, was designed to fight ground and naval targets. However, unlike the Su-27, it has two seats side by side. In September 2015, six Su-34s were transferred to Syria to take part in the war against terrorists and to this day carry out their missions there.

The KAB-1500 is a smart pump that is capable of drilling well-protected fortified structures. To point the ammunition can be used the laser or television focus. The pump has the weight of 1,500 kilograms and several modifications. Such projectiles were used to eliminate terrorists in Syria in 2015 and 2017.

These powerful weapons significantly outpower US jets that are overpriced for the service that they provide. This is a major reason why states are moving to purchase the Russian Sukhoi series.