HUGO CHÁVEZ, the ardently anti-American President of Venezuela, arrives in Russia today to sign a billion-dollar arms deal that has infuriated and alarmed the US.

The self-styled leftist revolutionary will sign an agreement with President Putin to buy 30 Sukhoi Su30 fighter jets and 30 military helicopters worth $1 billion (£540 million).

The two leaders will also discuss plans to build two Kalashnikov factories in Venezuela — to add to the 100,000 Kalashnikov AK103 assault rifles that Venezuela has bought from Russia in the past year. The arms deals — and the visit by Señor Chávez — are the latest evidence of Mr Putin’s drive to re-establish Russia as a counterbalance to the West in international affairs.

But they threaten to sour relations with Washington only a week after Mr Putin and President Bush reaffirmed publicly their friendship at the G8 summit in St Petersburg. The US has repeatedly asked Russia to reconsider its arms sales to Venezuela, which the State Department says does not co-operate in the war against terrorism.

Washington has banned US arms manufacturers from selling to the oil-rich South American state, citing its support for Iraqi insurgents and close ties to Cuba, Iran and North Korea. “In the international community’s fight against terrorism, Venezuela is a liability,” Frank Urbancic, a senior State Department official, told the House International Relations subcommittee on terrorism recently. He also expressed concern that Venezuela planned to sell on its new Kalashnikovs, or the guns that they replace, to help to undermine pro-American governments in the region.

Military experts say that the Sukhoi jets could transform Venezuela’s air force into the most powerful in South America within years. Señor Chávez, who calls Mr Bush an alcoholic imperialist, says that the hardware is needed to repel US plans to invade Venezuela and take control of its huge oil reserves.

He even said recently that he could imagine the Sukhoi jets firing missiles at an American aircraft carrier off Venezuela’s main La Guaira port.

Russia says that the sales do not violate agreements and are breakthroughs in a region traditionally dominated by America.

Señor Chávez is visiting several countries including Belarus and Iran.

In Belarus yesterday, he proposed forming a “combat team” with President Lukashenko, whom Washington calls “Europe’s last dictator”.

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