Russian nuclear-capable bombers fly to Venezuela, angering US

The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected Pompeo's criticism, saying it was "highly undiplomatic" and "completely inappropriate."

"As for the idea that we are squandering money, we do not agree. It's not really appropriate for a country half of whose defence budget could feed the whole of Africa to be making such statements," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Russia's Defence Ministry, which said the bombers had been accompanied by two other Russian military planes, did not say if the planes were carrying missiles, how long they would stay for, or what their mission was.

Russia has used them in the past to flex its military muscles under the nose of the United States, delighting Venezuelan officials who have cast such flights as evidence it is able to defend itself, with allies' help, from any attack.

Maduro frequently invokes the possibility of a U.S. invasion in the South American nation, a notion Washington denies.

Maduro said the talks with Putin in Moscow this month yielded Russian investment in the South American country's oil and gold sectors.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told his Venezuelan counterpart at the time that such long-range flights provided pilots with excellent experience and helped maintain the planes' combat readiness.