Russia Helps Venezuela in Probe Into Attacks on Power Grid – Deputy FM

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian side provides all necessary assistance to Caracas in investigating the attacks on the Venezuelan power grid, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov told Sputnik.

"According to the country's legitimate government headed by President Nicolas Maduro, as well as information from other credible sources, the electricity sector of Venezuela came under attack from abroad on March 7 of this year… We provide all necessary assistance to Venezuelan friends on the basis of requests from the legitimate government," Syromolotov said.

READ MORE: Venezuela's Losses From Blackouts in March Top $2Bln — Research Firm

The deputy foreign minister went on to say that the incident was a "comprehensive remote influence on the control and monitoring systems of the main power distribution stations where the equipment produced in one of the Western countries has been installed."

Those responsible for carrying out the attacks were well in the know of vulnerabilities in this equipment and respective systems, the official noted.

"They and the instigators of sabotage are responsible for the deaths of people, including of those in hospitals which were left without electricity," Syromolotov stressed.

Earlier, Nicolas Maduro announced that he intended to ask the authorities of Russia, China, Iran and Cuba, as well as the UN, to support the investigation into the alleged recent attack on the country's power grid.

In March, Venezuela suffered from several large blackouts caused by what the authorities called US attacks on the Venezuelan power grid. Washington has denied any involvement in the power failures.