Russian soldiers could be sent to Nicaragua under laws already in place in the Central American nation, Moscow’s ambassador in Managua has argued amid a new standoff with Washington over the prospect of the Kremlin stepping up its military presence in the region.
Speaking to RIA Novosti on Friday, Alexander Khokholikov, who also serves as the envoy to Honduras and El Salvador, commented on the possibility of hosting overseas forces within Nicaragua’s borders.
“The government passes a law annually on the foreign military presence in Nicaraguan territory,” he explained. “It provides for the possibility of the transit and presence of servicemen, as well as military equipment from a number of countries, including Russia and, incidentally, the US, for the exchange of experience in the field of military cooperation, joint exercises, and activities in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime.”
According to the diplomat, military cooperation between Moscow and Managua “is not directed against third countries,” despite a worsening row with the US over the potential deployments.