Russia has accused the US of using aid deliveries to Venezuela as a ploy to carry out military action against President Nicolas Maduro's government.

The Kremlin's Foreign Ministry said America had deployed special forces and equipment near the South American nation and accused Washington of a 'dangerous provocation'.

Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed to efforts by opposition leader Juan Guaido's planned bid tomorrow to pick up US aid being stockpiled on the Colombian border.

Russia has accused the US of using aid deliveries to Venezuela as a ploy to carry out military action against President Nicolas Maduro's government. It comes after a clip showed trucks trying to ram through a checkpoint in Mariara, northern Venezuela, as security forces loyal to Maduro stood in its path

Russia is a key supporter of Maduro's government and has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to carry out a coup in Venezuela

Guaido's intentions to bring the supplies across the border are aimed at provoking clashes, she said, to provide 'a convenient pretext for conducting military action'.

Russia is a key supporter of Maduro's government and has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to carry out a coup in Venezuela.

Venezuelan Deputy Foreign Minister Ivan Gil said at a meeting in the upper chamber of the Russian parliament on Friday that Maduro is 'constantly in touch' with President Vladimir Putin on the phone.

He thanked Russia for a recent shipment of medicine but reiterated the government stance that there is no humanitarian crisis in the South American country.

On Thursday, Guaido set out in a convoy to collect US-supplied food and medicine stockpiled in Colombia, vowing to bring in the aid by Saturday.

Maduro has closed the border with Brazil to prevent the entry of aid and the military has beefed up security at the Colombian border.

Zakharova alleged that the US had moved special forces and military equipment 'closer to Venezuelan territory' and was considering large-scale weapons purchases to arm the opposition.

Maria Zakharova (pictured) pointed to efforts by opposition leader Juan Guaido's planned bid tomorrow to pick up US aid being stockpiled on the Colombian border

On Thursday, Guaido (pictured) set out in a convoy to collect US-supplied food and medicine stockpiled in Colombia, vowing to bring in the aid by Saturday

Noting that it had been five years since the Ukrainian revolution that ousted a Russian-backed leader - which Moscow has accused the US of orchestrating - Zakharova said Washington was preparing for more regime change in Venezuela.

Russian acts of aggression against the West under Putin? Feb 2014 Russian forces seize control of Crimea from Ukraine – sparking worldwide condemnation. But Vladimir Putin initially denies sending in troops to the area, insisting the ‘little green men’ who appeared in Russian uniforms were actually ‘local defence forces’. Russian forces also entered and stoked war in eastern Ukraine. 2016: Russian hackers target the US elections – spreading fake news to meddle in the outcome and hacking Hilary Clinton’s campaign team’s emails. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating the claims and so far 19 Russians have been hit with sanctions for cyber-attacks. April – May 2017 French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron says his campaign has been targeted by groups in Russia and Ukraine. The leading centrist was running against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who was calling for closer ties with Moscow. March 2018 Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia are poisoned on the streets of Salisbury. The pair are slipped Novichok – a deadly nerve agent manufactured in Russia’s lab rooms at the height of the Cold War. Theresa May says Russia is behind the attack, but the Kremlin launch a massive disinformation campaign questioning whether the UK’s security services can be trusted and suggesting Britain carried out the poisoning itself. Advertisement

'It seems that in Washington there is nothing to mark the fifth anniversary of the coup d'etat in Ukraine, so they decided to hold a new coup d'etat,' she said.

She warned that a US military intervention in Venezuela would lead to a 'sharp increase in tensions' around the world.

Shipments of food and medicine for Venezuelans suffering in the country's economic crisis have become a focus of the power struggle between Maduro and Guaido.

Maduro has said Russia was providing 300 tonnes of aid but Moscow has not provided details.

Russian news agencies reported that Venezuela's Minister of Industries and National Production Tareck El Aissami would visit Moscow on Friday to meet with Russian officials.

A source quoted by the Interfax news agency said talks would focus on 'cooperation in trade and the economy'.

It comes after one person was killed and 12 are injured after Venezuelan troops opened fire on civilians trying to keep a border checkpoint open for aid deliveries.

Troops arrived at a checkpoint set up by an indigenous community in Kumarakapai, on Venezuela's southern border with Brazil early this morning.

But when civilians tried to block military vehicles, soldiers opened fire shooting 12 and killing a woman named as Zorayda Rodriguez, 42.

The villagers are believed to have been trying to keep open a section of the border so that aid could be moved into the area from Brazil.

In northern Venezuela, a clash between President Nicolas Maduro's troops and supporters of his rival Juan Guaido also turned violent.

Footage shows trucks trying to ram through a checkpoint in Mariara, northern Venezuela, as security forces loyal to Maduro stand in its path.

It is thought to have taken place as supporters of opposition leader Guaido, who has declared himself acting president, made their way to the border to collect US aid.

Maduro is refusing to let US supplies in, arguing it would be the first step toward a foreign invasion. Instead, he has accepted Russian aid and reportedly sent missiles to the border.

Meanwhile, the crisis is set to morph in to a 'battle of the bands' today with rival concerts taking place at opposite ends of a blockaded border bridge.

British tycoon Sir Richard Branson, after being approached by opposition leader Juan Guaido, is bidding to raise $100million in donations through 'Venezuela Aid Live' on the Colombian side of Tienditas bridge.

On the other side of the crossing, closed off with freight containers, President Nicolas Maduro will hold 'hands off Venezuela' - a three day festival.

Maduro has closed the border with Brazil to prevent the entry of aid and the military has beefed up security at the Colombian border. But today pictures emerged of Venezuelans crossing the border into Brazil's Roraima state

Venezuelan soldiers are pictured at the border between the country and Brazil as people watch on amid heightened tensions over plans to bring in US aid

Tensions are continuing to mount as the weekend approaches with Guaido adamant he will bring the supplies into the country on Saturday. The Tienditas bridge, is one of the conduits that he has targeted.

Branson aims to raise $100 million in donations through his concert with big stars from the Spanish-speaking world scheduled to perform, and the presidents of Colombia, Chile and Paraguay vowing to attend.

The government has not said who will perform on the Venezuela end of the bridge. That concert's slogan is 'Hands Off Venezuela.'

'All the artists that are going to sing in Colombia must know that they are committing a crime. They are endorsing a military intervention,' said Maduro.

On Thursday he ordered the closure of Venezuela's border with Brazil - one of the main potential avenues for aid delivery - as part of the power struggle with Guaido over bringing in aid. Maduro said he was considering closing the border with Colombia, too.

Meanwhile, U.N. refugee and migration agencies say some 3.4 million people have now fled Venezuela, up from a November estimate of 3 million people.

The joint envoy for refugee agency UNCHR and the International Organization for Migration, Eduardo Stein, praised the 'tremendous solidarity' shown by Venezuela's neighbors to people leaving the country.

The agencies said Colombia hosts the highest number of Venezuela emigrants - more than 1.1 million - followed by Peru with 506,000 and Chile with 288,000. Brazil has taken in 96,000 Venezuelans.

UNHCR responded to Maduro's vow to shut the border with Brazil and not let aid through by highlighting the 'utmost importance that the people in need of international protection can seek the protection they require.'

UNHCR said its Venezuela operation helped 80,000 people with issues like documentation, education, nutrition and sanitation.