Teach good maneuvers: Nicaragua and Russia to sign military agreement in 2025

Nicaragua is ready to sign an agreement on military cooperation with Russia in 2025, Major General Marvin Corrales Rodriguez, Inspector General of the army of the Latin American republic, told Izvestia. The Russian government approved the document in December 2024. The 16—article agreement was published in November 2024, and the only outstanding issue is the choice of a place to sign. In addition, to strengthen cooperation with the Russian side, the Nicaraguan military will be present as observers at military exercises in the Russian Federation in September 2025, Corrales Rodriguez said. About how the Russian Federation is developing military cooperation with Latin American countries is in the Izvestia article.

Russia and Nicaragua to sign military cooperation agreement in 2025

Russia and Nicaragua may sign a military cooperation agreement by the end of 2025.

— Our goal is to sign the agreement this year, we are working on it. But this means that the agreement has not yet been signed. — Ed.) does not negate the fact that we will continue to develop our relations with the Russian armed forces," Major General Marvin Corrales Rodriguez, inspector of the army of the Latin American republic, told Izvestia.

The text of the agreement, consisting of 16 articles, was published at the end of November 2024. It is expected that Russia and Nicaragua will regularly exchange experience and information in various fields of military-technical cooperation, conduct joint military exercises, and train soldiers.

In addition, the agreement provides for the creation of a joint working group and the alternate holding of its meetings in each of the countries. It is assumed that the contract will be valid for five years, and then, by agreement of the parties, it can be extended for the same period.

— Joint work was carried out on the draft of this agreement between the Ministries of Defense of Russia and Nicaragua. What we've been doing lately is improving it. We can say that the agreement is already ready, and all we are waiting for now is clarity on where the agreement will be signed: in Russia or in Nicaragua. In fact, we are ratifying the existing friendly ties and cooperation that have historically existed between our countries and the armies," continued Marvin Corrales Rodriguez.

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According to a representative of the defense Ministry of Nicaragua, within the framework of cooperation, it is also expected that military personnel from the Latin American republic will participate as observers in combat exercises in the Russian Federation in September 2025.

— Earlier, during military exercises in Nicaragua, the Russian military also participated as observers, — said Marvin Corrales Rodriguez.

Military cooperation of the Russian Federation with other Latin American countries

Russia now gives its advantage in developing military and technical cooperation with the countries of the region to its key partners - Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. Interaction with them is in the zone of the national interests of the Russian Federation, military expert Alexei Leonkov explained to Izvestia.

— The situation around these countries is developing in such a way that they have been under pressure from the United States for a long time, and cooperation with the Russian Federation helps them get rid of this and is consistent with the protection of national interests. On Russia's part, it's not about spreading influence, but rather about mutually beneficial cooperation," the expert says.

As for Nicaragua, in addition to the military cooperation agreement, Managua annually approves the presence of military personnel from abroad on the territory of its country. These are usually soldiers from Russia, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, and the United States. In November 2024, the presence of 80 Russian soldiers, as well as ships and aircraft, was approved for the first half of 2025.

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Military cooperation with Venezuela was enshrined in the strategic partnership agreement, which Presidents Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Maduro signed on May 7. The parties, in particular, decided to improve defense relations in areas "of mutual interest, considering them as an important component of maintaining regional and global security," the text of the agreement says.

— Military-technical cooperation is mainly carried out through Rosoboronexport. We are talking about the supply of modern types of weapons and military equipment in the export version, their technical support, and the training of military specialists from these countries on the basis of our higher military educational institutions," said Alexey Leonkov.

According to the expert, Brazil may also become a promising area for cooperation, especially since reliable BRICS ties have already been established between Moscow and Brasilia. During the talks between the leaders of the Russian Federation and Brazil on May 9, the topic of military cooperation was also raised, but the parties did not disclose any details. Earlier, Alexander Shchetinin, director of the Latin American Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed that Moscow is ready for military cooperation with countries in the region that are interested in this.