A high-ranking Russian general ousted by Vladimir Putin after battlefield failures in Ukraine is currently coordinating a rotating military mission in Venezuela, according to Ukraine's Military Intelligence Service (HUR).
The head of HUR, Kirilo Budanov, revealed to the specialized publication The War Zone that Colonel-General Oleg Leontievici Makarevici was placed in command of the Equator Operative Force (ETF) subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Defense, consisting of more than 120 military personnel and whose mission is to train the Venezuelan forces in multiple military disciplines.
Budanov's revelations come in the context of a media report that members of the elite Rubicon drone unit recently arrived in Venezuela to teach soldiers to operate FPV drones.
The ETF mission is a long-standing rotation and does not come as a reaction to the current build-up of the US presence in the Caribbean, where the Trump administration recently launched Operation Southern Lance. Although the official goal is to combat drug trafficking, the mission is widely seen as part of Washington's pressure campaign against leader Nicolás Maduro, who is perceived as illegitimate.
According to Budanov's assessment, Makarevici and his staff are expected to remain in this country regardless of US actions.
“I think they will be behind the scenes and officially Russia will try to talk to the US, as their facilities are in Venezuela,” he said. “It's just a game.”
The head of the HUR explained that the Russian troops have the role of “military advisers and teachers at the same time”, conducting training for infantry, drones and special forces, and providing intelligence support to the Venezuelan authorities.
Despite the escalation of tensions between Venezuela and the US in the region, HUR detected no change in the level of Russian troops in Venezuela. According to HUR observations, the mission of Makarevici, who has been in this country since the beginning of the year, was extended beyond the usual six-month term for the rotation of commanders.
As for the question regarding the presence of the Ukrainian secret services in Venezuela, Budanov did not go into details: “We are collecting all the information about them.”
The presence of Russian troops in Venezuela
According to a document shared by Budanov, about 90 officers and soldiers have been deployed to Caracas, with the rest deployed to Maracaibo, La Guaira and Aves Island.
Budanov admits that he cannot confirm Russia's claim that it sent Pantir-S1 and Buk-M2E air defense systems to Venezuela.
“We're seeing the Buk-M2,” he said. “We know nothing about Pantir.”
A second document outlines the broader activities of the ETF, which allegedly include training Venezuelan forces in armor, aviation, artillery, drone operations and even military dog training – as well as supporting the South American country's efforts to monitor domestic groups and foreign governments.
Makarevici, aged 62, is a controversial figure. He was dismissed as commander of the Dnipro Group of Forces in October 2023 after Ukraine's successful counteroffensive in Kherson. He is accused by Ukraine of ordering the destruction of the Nova Kahovka dam in June 2023, causing catastrophic flooding and widespread ecological and economic damage. Russia instead blamed Ukraine, claiming that Kiev destroyed the dam to disrupt Russian operations.
Meanwhile, the world is kept in suspense over Trump's decision on a possible military operation after the US sent the USS Ford aircraft carrier, three of its group ships, seven other warships, a special operations ship, a wide range of air assets and about 15,000 troops to the region.
