Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro said his regime has "more than 5,000" Russian-made Igla-S surface-to-air missiles positioned across the country, warning that they stand ready to defend the country from what he described as growing military threats from the U.S.
"Any military force in the world knows the power of the Igla-S," Maduro said during a televised address. "Venezuela has nothing less than 5,000 of these at key air defense posts to guarantee the peace, stability and tranquility of our people." He described the Igla-S as "one of the most powerful weapons that exist," adding that the nation's air defense operators were fully trained to use them "from the last mountain to the last city."
