Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Condemns Russian Mercenaries in Venezuela Amid Protests
Kyiv, Ukraine – Amid protests in Venezuela, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has raised concerns about the presence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group. He described this as an example of Russia’s interference in other countries’ affairs.
Protests began in the Venezuelan capital after President Nicolas Maduro declared victory in the election. The opposition claimed the election was fraudulent, stating that their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, had won convincingly after reviewing 73.2% of the vote count.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy said, “Worrying reports of Russian Wagner mercenaries being spotted in Venezuela alongside government forces. Wherever these thugs go, they bring death and destabilization.” He added, “This is a clear example of Russia’s shameless meddling in other countries’ affairs, as well as its usual strategy of sowing chaos around the world.”
Zelenskyy emphasized that the only way out of the difficult situation in Venezuela is through peaceful and democratic procedures, not by sending mercenaries. He condemned the use of force against peaceful protesters and urged respect for the people’s choice. “True leaders don’t hide from their own people behind mercenaries’ backs,” he said.
Local media reported that on August 1, social media posts indicated that Russia’s Wagner Group was helping to stop the protests in Venezuela. On July 31, opposition leaders appeared at a gathering in Caracas, urging peaceful protest against what they called a fraudulent regime. Protesters also marched in other cities, including Valencia, Maracay, San Cristobal, Maracaibo, and Barquisimeto.
The Venezuelan Conflict Observatory registered 187 protests in 20 states, with numerous acts of repression and violence by paramilitary groups and security forces. Rights group Foro Penal reported that at least 11 people had been killed in incidents related to the election count or the protests.
Doubts Revealed
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy -: Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the leader of Ukraine, a country in Eastern Europe. He is like the Prime Minister of India but for Ukraine.
Russian Mercenaries -: Mercenaries are soldiers who are paid to fight for a country or group that they do not belong to. In this case, they are from Russia.
Venezuela -: Venezuela is a country in South America. It is far away from India, across the Atlantic Ocean.
Protests -: Protests are when people gather to show they are unhappy about something. They might carry signs, shout slogans, or march in the streets.
President Nicolas Maduro -: Nicolas Maduro is the leader of Venezuela. Some people in Venezuela do not agree with how he became President.
Disputed election victory -: A disputed election victory means that some people believe the election was not fair or honest. They think the results might be wrong.
Wagner mercenaries -: Wagner is a group of Russian soldiers who are paid to fight in other countries. They are not part of the official Russian army.
Interference -: Interference means getting involved in something that is not your business. In this case, it means Russia is getting involved in Venezuela’s problems.
Democratic solutions -: Democratic solutions are ways to solve problems by letting people vote and have a say in decisions, like how elections work in India.
Repression -: Repression means using force to stop people from expressing their opinions or protesting. It can involve police or military action.