MOSCOW, July 11. /TASS/. There are nearly no Russian specialists responsible for the maintenance of military equipment in Venezuela now, but they may be sent there if needed, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Thursday.

"A rotation has been carried out. As far as I understand, now there is almost no our personnel there. But this does not mean that they won’t be there as soon as the need for maintenance of this equipment arises again," the high-ranking diplomat stressed.

The upcoming military drills in Venezuela will feature military equipment produced in Russia, which is now in service of the Venezuelan army, according to Ryabkov.

"Essentially, the weapons and military equipment in Venezuela and deployed by the National Bolivarian Armed Forces are the equipment produced in Russia because it cannot be in any other way," the diplomat underlined, answering the corresponding question.