Russian bombers in South America? What the heck?

MOSCOW – A top Russian military official has confirmed that the Kremlin is thinking of parking some of its strategic bombers in Cuba or Venezuela, within easy range of the continental United States.

More here.

Some people think it's a bluff (or perhaps threats for negotiating leverage).

Possibly also a reaction to this:

Washington plans to base 10 interceptor missiles in Poland plus a radar facility in the neighbouring Czech Republic by 2011-2013 to complete a system already in place in the United States, Greenland and Britain.
The United States contends that the shield -- endorsed by NATO leaders in February -- is to fend off potential missile attacks by "rogue states" such as Iran, and that it is not aimed at Russia.
The Kremlin, however, regards it as a grave security threat and on Wednesday threatened to aim its own missiles at the planned US missile shield sites in Europe.
(full article here)

To make things even better, a video was released of Obama making the following statements:

...I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it.

Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.

I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.
I will not weaponize space.

I will slow our development of future combat systems.

(Full article here)

I tried to access the video this appeared in, but apparently youtube has either blocked it or whoever posted it has made it private. I wish I could see it. If anybody happens to find it, do let me know.

At any rate, I'm certain that the Russians know that Obama intends to cut funding in missile defense.

So, interpret the Russian move as you will.

Russia is a dangerous friend, I think.

POST SCRIPT:

I found a couple videos with that text in them. Here are the links:

Video 1: (exact text match) (Ignore the inflammatory commentary in the sidebar, unless you enjoy that sort of thing.)
Video 2: Essentially the same thing as video 1, cut slightly differently.
Video 3: A third re-cut of the previous two videos, with added footage serving as a commentary.

POST SCRIPT 2:
This just in: Chavez: Russian jets welcome, but no Venezuela base.