She told reporters that Moscow is not considering the evacuation of either Russian diplomats, their families, or Russian employees of overseas agencies and companies. She admitted, however, that the threat of a large-scale armed conflict in Venezuela is real.

Zakharova said she has no doubt that foreign forces are hindering internal dialogue in Venezuela, where the opposition is unwilling to engage in negotiations despite President Nicolas Maduro's assurance he is ready for talks. Moscow believes diplomatic possibilities for helping Venezuela solve its complex problems have not been exhausted, she said.