Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) on Monday accused the intelligence services of an unidentified Western country of collaborating with Ukraine on an alleged covert operation to link Moscow with the illegal supply of weapons to drug cartels and criminal organizations in Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico.
The serious accusation was disseminated by the Russian Foreign Ministry through its official channels on X and Telegram. However, the SVR did not provide verifiable evidence demonstrating the existence of the alleged plan, and so far, there is no independent confirmation of Moscow's claims.
"It is expected that Russia will be accused of illegally supplying weapons to drug cartels and organized crime groups operating in Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico," states the statement.
According to the Russian intelligence agency's version, the operation would involve the transfer of Russian-made weapons captured by Ukrainian forces during the war to Latin America, which would later be presented as evidence of supplies coming from Moscow.
The SVR also asserts that those responsible would prepare fake audio and video recordings to simulate deliveries through intermediaries, as well as counterfeit documents intended to implicate representatives of the Russian Armed Forces.
Moscow did not specify when the alleged operation would have started, which agencies would be involved, nor did it provide any documentary evidence to support its claim.
Moscow accuses the West but does not identify the country
The SVR merely pointed to the intelligence services of "a Western country" and claimed that the alleged setup aims to undermine Russia's influence in a region where the Kremlin maintains close ties with several governments.
The objective would be to "undermine Russia's constructive relationships with countries in the region and induce Latin American governments to support the anti-Russian policy practiced by the West," he stated. The accusations should be taken with caution. The Ukrainian Center for Counteracting Disinformation has previously pointed out the "sensational revelations" spread by the SVR as part of a pattern of misinformation narratives, while the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) deemed other allegations made by Russian foreign intelligence in 2025 against Ukraine, Poland, and the United Kingdom as "unfounded."
The statement also comes amid a growing confrontation between Moscow and Washington over Russian influence in the Western Hemisphere, with Cuba and Venezuela among the main points of tension.
In February, Russia accused the United States of an "aggressive provocation" following a shooting in Cuban waters that left four dead.
Washington, for its part, has raised its accusations regarding Moscow's activities in Cuba. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused the Cuban regime of serving Russia and allowing facilities linked to Russian and Chinese intelligence operations on the island.
A report from the State Department identified 18 facilities related to intelligence activities of Russia and China in Cuba and noted that their personnel has tripled since 2023.
Russia resorts to Bucha and an episode that preceded World War II
To strengthen its accusation, the SVR compared the alleged operation in Latin America with two very different historical episodes.
The organization again presented the Bucha massacre in Ukraine in April 2022, labeling it as a "staging," in line with the narrative upheld by the Kremlin. International investigations and evidence gathered on the ground have attributed the deaths of civilians during the occupation of the city to Russian forces, leading to the characterization from Moscow being widely rejected outside of Russia.
The SVR also recalled the Gleiwitz provocation, which took place on August 31, 1939, when members of the Nazi SS staged a Polish attack on a German broadcasting station. Adolf Hitler used such incidents as a propaganda pretext to justify the invasion of Poland, which began the following day and triggered World War II in Europe.
With those references, Moscow attempts to present the alleged plan now denounced as a "false flag" operation aimed at creating a political pretext against Russia.
Latin America, another stage in the dispute between Russia and the West
The report gains significance due to the weight Latin America has acquired in the geopolitical confrontation between Moscow and Washington.
Russia has maintained close military and security ties with Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua for years, which are among its key allies in the region. These relationships have included arms sales, technical assistance, military cooperation, and training.
At the same time, Moscow has been highlighted for developing influence and propaganda operations in Latin America. A study released in June documented Russian disinformation networks present in 13 countries in the region, aimed at amplifying narratives favorable to the Kremlin and critical of the United States and other Western democracies.
That background adds a relevant element to the new accusation from the SVR: while Moscow is now denouncing a supposed Western information manipulation operation in Latin America, Russia has faced accusations for years of using precisely influence and disinformation campaigns as a tool of its foreign policy.
For now, the alleged plot to introduce Russian weapons into Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico exists solely based on the version presented by Moscow's intelligence, without public evidence that allows for independent verification.
The SVR concluded its statement with a warning addressed to the alleged perpetrators: "The subsequent course of history demonstrates that the cost of such schemes can be extremely high, especially for the very organizers themselves."
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