WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The deployment by Russia of air force planes and personnel in Venezuela over the weekend is a “reckless escalation of the situation,” the U.S. State Department said on Monday, confirming news reports that Russian planes had arrived in Caracas on Sunday.

“The United States condemns Russia’s deployment of military aircraft and personnel to Caracas, which is another contradiction of both Nicolas Maduro’s and Russia’s calls for non-intervention in Venezuela and is a reckless escalation of the situation,” a department spokesman said.