DW-World.de
Deutsche Welle

Russia says it plans to send a number of naval vessels to the Caribbean for joint exercises with Venezuela in November. The deployment would be the first such major Russian manoeuvre off the United States' doorstep since the end of the Cold War, and is to be backed by Russian anti-submarine aircraft operating from Venezuela. The announcement comes amid tensions between Moscow and Washington over the crisis in Georgia. The Kremlin denies that the issues are linked and says the exercises are not aimed at any "third country". At the weekend President Dimitry Medvedev repeated Russia's criticism of Washington for sending naval vessels to Georgia to deliver aid.