Russia Pursued Deeper Military Relations in Latin America Days Before Ukraine Invasion

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Sept. 25, 2019. Sergei Chirikov/AFP via Getty Images

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia—During recent official visits to Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov spoke of deepening economic and military ties with the respective socialist and communist governments of its allies in the Americas.

Russia’s chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, also visited Cuba on Feb. 23—and Nicaragua on Feb. 24—making it Russia’s second official diplomatic meeting with anti-U.S. regimes in Latin America in a week.