On the night of October 3, U.S. forces carried out a strike on a vessel that Washington claimed was transporting a large shipment of narcotics bound for the United States. The incident occurred in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, leaving four people dead.
President Donald Trump commented on the operation during a speech at the Norfolk naval base next to the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman. He described it as part of a broader campaign against drug cartels in the Caribbean. “They no longer come by sea, so now we will have to look for them on land,” Trump said.
The move, however, drew a sharp response from Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the incident with his Venezuelan counterpart Iván Gil. Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated it “strongly condemns the new strike by U.S. armed forces,” warning of the risk of further escalation of violence in the Caribbean Sea.
The ministry added that such actions could have “far-reaching consequences for the region.” Moscow also cautioned Washington against broadly interpreting a recent U.N. Security Council resolution that expands the underfunded and understaffed international mission combating armed gangs in Haiti.
In the Security Council vote on the U.S.- and Panama-backed resolution, Russia, China, and Pakistan abstained, while 13 member states voted in favor.
Russia reaffirmed its “full support and solidarity” with Venezuela’s leadership and people, stressing the importance of preventing further escalation in the region.
