Russia to Arm Venezuela with 2,000 Killer Drones? Explosive Claim Sparks U.S. Concerns
According to the report, deliveries of the Geran-2 – Russia’s locally produced version of Iran’s infamous Shahed-136 loitering munition – could give Venezuela unprecedented defensive and offensive reach.
Caracas/Moscow – A stunning claim from Russian military Telegram channel Rybar has set the geopolitical world buzzing: Russia may supply Venezuela with up to 2,000 Geran-2 kamikaze drones, in a move analysts warn could transform the balance of power in the Caribbean.
According to the report, deliveries of the Geran-2 – Russia’s locally produced version of Iran’s infamous Shahed-136 loitering munition – could give Venezuela unprecedented defensive and offensive reach. Even more striking, the outlet suggested that Cuba and Nicaragua may also be considered for drone deployments, raising the stakes of Russian military influence in America’s backyard.
The Geran-2 has become Russia’s weapon of choice in its war on Ukraine, launched in swarms against cities and infrastructure. Built at the Yelabuga drone factory in Tatarstan, Russia now produces hundreds daily, with tens of thousands already manufactured.
With a range of up to 2,500 km, it can carry up to 50 kg of explosives (newer models carry as much as 90 kg), there have been reports of AI-enhanced navigation and improved resistance to jamming. If launched en masse it’s capable of overwhelming air defenses of the target.
If Caracas receives even a fraction of the alleged 2,000 units, it could rapidly shift its military profile from defensive weakness to regional power projection. Drones would drastically expand Venezuela’s air defense and strike options amid tensions with Washington. The deployment of Russian kamikaze drones so close to U.S. shores would be a nightmare scenario, reminiscent of Cold War brinkmanship. However, the claim, if true, signals Russia’s intent to cement military partnerships in the Western Hemisphere, leveraging allies long hostile to U.S. influence.
At present, the claim remains unverified. Neither the Kremlin nor the Venezuelan government has confirmed any drone transfer, and no independent evidence has surfaced to back Rybar’s statement.
What’s clear, however, is that Russia has both the capacity and the strategic incentive to export Geran drones as geopolitical tools. With daily production running into the hundreds, sending 2,000 abroad is entirely plausible.
Whether fact or rumor, the report underscores a new reality that drone warfare is now a global currency. If confirmed, the presence of thousands of Russian-made drones in Latin America would mark one of the most significant military shifts in the region since the Cuban Missile Crisis.
