Chavez to buy fighter planes from Russia

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez has expressed interest in acquiring Russia’s multipurpose fighters Su-35.

‘I’ve sent a message to the Russian authorities demonstrating our interest in assessing opportunities for buying Su-35 fighters in the near future. We need to continue modernisation of our defence power,’ he said during his visit to Captain Manuel Rios Aerial Base on Wednesday. ‘Security, defence and development of our country should be our paramount concern to guarantee the country’s independence that our revolution restored,’ said Chavez. In 2006 the Venezuelan government signed a contract with Russia’s Sukhoi Aircraft Company to buy 24 multipurpose Su-30 fighters that that country now has in its fleet.