Russia says it is not planning to attack the US, affirming that its military maneuvers with Venezuela are not directed at military action.

"Neither Russia nor Venezuela has any plans to attack anyone. Russia and Venezuela enjoy cooperation basing on the norms of international law," RIA Novosti quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying.

Lavrov's remarks come as Western media outlets described the drills as harbingers of attacks on the US.

Four Russian warships, including a nuclear-powered missile cruiser, are en route to Venezuela and will hold joint naval exercises there next month.

The joint move has been widely interpreted as a reaction to Washington's recent measures in Russia's backyard, including US naval presence in the Black Sea.

The minister's assurance comes while US attempts at rallying support for a Washington-proposed missile shield show no signs of slowing down.

Russia's neighboring states have been earmarked for hosting parts of the shield which Russia has denounced as a 'nuclear deterrent' and a menace to its stability.

Washington has, as well, been lobbying for the formation of a rapid-deployment force made up of NATO troops against what it calls Russia's possible aggression towards its neighbors.

The latter proposal came after the August confrontation between Russia and Georgia which had attacked South Ossetia. Moscow said Georgian attack had endangered the lives of the Russian peacekeepers and nationals in the independence-leaning Georgian republic.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is accused by Russian authorities of having launched the attack on orders from the US.

"It is hard to imagine that Saakashvili embarked on this risky venture without some sort of approval from the side of the United States," Russian Premier Vladimir Putin said in late August.

Russia's concerns were fueled by visiting US warships, four of which docked at Georgian ports following the conflict.

Last Friday, an unnamed Russian intelligence source speculated that the American destroyer, the USS Mason, enlisted with the US missile defense squad, could pull into the Georgian docks during its current sail in the Black Sea.