Just one week after the G8 summit in St Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expecting a visit Tuesday from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Flush with petrodollars, the ardent critic of the US is on a shopping spree in Russia: two dozen of the most up-to-date fighter jets are on Chavez's shopping list.
The multi-billion-dollar deal and the announcement from Caracas that the 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles already ordered from Moscow were not enough has set alarm bells ringing in Washington.
It almost seems as if the populist leader and Bush opponent sought out his destinations for this trip from the US Government's black list of nations: from Belarus, 'the last dictatorship in Europe,' Chavez's tour takes him via Russia - criticized for becoming increasingly authoritarian - to arch-enemy Iran.
'We have a common opponent,' a Chavez confidant underlined during a preparatory visit to Minsk at the end of June.
Tagged on to the end of the trip is Vietnam, the biggest trauma in recent US history.
The South American trouble-maker has turned up at exactly the right time for Russia in its wrangling with the US over old security interests and new spheres of influence.
The Kremlin is eyeing a double benefit: billions - naturally in dollars - for the weapons industry and a reawakening of Russia as a superpower.
Moscow dismisses US concerns that Chavez could pass on the Russian weapons to rebel organizations in the region.
Venezuela is not on any international embargo list, so Russia's deal with Caracas can not be criticized. The Kremlin was equally pragmatic with its recent weapons contracts with Syria and Iran.
Moscow at least does not see it as contradictory that it portrays itself as international terrorism's greatest foe.
The Kremlin is doing business with the Venezuelans as the US no longer services the old F16 fighter jets that Caracas owns.
Last year, the Latin Americans ordered a dozen military helicopters from the Russians as well as the 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles. Although the Venezuelan Army only has 80,000 soldiers, Chavez has said he wants more.
The partly delivered rifles were 'too few for us,' the Venezuelan ambassador said in Moscow at the end of June.
During Chavez's visit, a deal is expected on the construction of two factories in Venezuela to assemble Kalashnikovs under licence.
The seasoned trading Russians have felt a bitter sting in the conflict with the US. The US was itself responsible that the weapons industry now sells its products in the US's back garden under the Kremlin's control.
It is believed in Moscow that after the end of the Cold War, Washington stole the Eastern European and Arabic markets from the Russian arms manufacturers.
The US also permanently harmed Moscow's security interests in the post-Soviet sphere with its engagement in Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.
Moscow political scientist Alexei Arbatov expects the Chavez visit to Moscow to open up other Latin American markets.
There are enough Kalashnikovs for everyone - that's the message these days from Moscow to North and South America.
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