WW3 fears as Russia sends 'secret' weapons to country 'treating Trump badly'

Vladimir Putin has claimed the Oreshnik is a 'game-changer' (Image: GETTY)

Moscow has raised the prospect of stationing advanced Oreshnik hypersonic missiles in Venezuela, placing them just 2,000 miles from the US mainland – a development reminiscent of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

It comes just days after Donald Trump was asked by CBS' 60 Minutes if the US will wage war with Venezuela. The US president said: "I doubt it. I don't think so. But they've been treating us very badly." Despite his comments, the US has moved an unprecedented fleet of fighter jets and drones into the Caribbean Sea to crack down on boats smuggling drugs north.

Alexey Zhuravlev, deputy chairman of the State Duma's defence committee and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin: "There are no obstacles" to supplying Caracas with the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).

In an interview with Russia's Gazeta.ru, Zhuravlev said: "We supply this country with almost the entire range of weapons, from small arms to aircraft. Information about the volumes and exact names of what is being transported from Russia is secret, so the Americans may be in for some surprises.

Zhuravlev cited the "well-proven" Kalibr cruise missile as another option, insisting no international treaties barred such transfers.

The remarks, reported on Tuesday by Ukrainian security analyst Anton Gerashchenko, come amid Venezuela's requests for military support from Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran. Internal US government documents, leaked to The Washington Post, reveal President Nicolás Maduro appealed to Putin for financing, radars, aircraft repairs, and missiles – including drones and electronic warfare gear from Iran.

Caracas describes these as defensive measures against perceived US encirclement, particularly with American naval presence in the Caribbean.

The Oreshnik, unveiled last year and now entering serial production, is a nuclear-capable hypersonic weapon derived from the RS-26 Rubezh system. Capable of speeds exceeding Mach 10, it has a range of up to 3,418 miles (5,500 kilometres), easily sufficient to strike major US cities from Venezuelan soil.

Putin described its first combat use against a Ukrainian target in November 2024 as a "game-changer" while Dmitry Medvedev, former president, claimed it had "changed the course of the Ukrainian conflict".

US President Donald Trump (Image: Getty)

Russia's recent missile activities are part of its nuclear modernisation efforts in 2025. On October 29, Putin announced a successful trial of the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone – a device designed to target coastal areas with radioactive payloads, with an unlimited range thanks to its reactor propulsion.

Eight days earlier, on October 21, Moscow conducted the first long-range flight of the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile. Putin has said it offers greater endurance than intercontinental rivals.

On Tuesday, he awarded state honours to their developers, praising their "prospects" amid Western sanctions. However, analysts have noted that the Poseidon and Burevestnik have experienced years of delays and accidents, but these tests indicate Russia's continued development of such systems.

Mr Trump recently ordered two nuclear-powered submarines to "appropriate regions" – widely interpreted as the Caribbean and near Russian waters – following a phone call with Medvedev over nuclear threats.

Oreshnik infographic (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Mr Trump told "Watch your words," to the ex-president during the call according to the New York times, before stationing a sub off Russia's coast in response to the Poseidon test. Asked about potential strikes against Venezuelan targets, Mr Trump said: "How can I answer that? Supposing there are plans – who would say?"

The Cuban Missile Crisis parallel is evident: then, as now, a superpower's proxy in America's backyard hosted offensive arms, prompting a naval quarantine and brinkmanship that John F Kennedy resolved through back-channel diplomacy.

Mr Kennedy's ultimatum made clear that any missile launched from Cuba would be regarded as an attack on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union.

Experts today warn of a similar risk. The Institute for the Study of War recommends that Washington "deny delivery and emplace, detect preparations early, and impose rapid costs".

Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine has strained its arsenal, yet Zhuravlev's comments highlight a strategy of testing US resolve under a Trump administration seeking improved relations with Putin.

Moscow's actions may strain ties with allies; Syria's Bashar al-Assad sought aid last year but received limited support as Putin prioritised Kyiv.

Venezuela, oil-rich but isolated, could serve as a strategic partner. Anton Gerashchenko: Russia is becoming a "haven for fleeing dictators", its global influence affected by battlefield challenges.

The Pentagon maintains heightened surveillance in the region, including B-52 bomber patrols in mid-October.

Under Mr Trump's "America First" approach, the hemisphere faces ongoing tensions. Moscow's missile activities may extend its leverage, though they could complicate diplomatic efforts.