Russia is a pretty mysterious force as usual. They revoked some investments (mainly a military base) in Venezuela recently, and Venezuela has quite a tab with them. Publicly, it would seem Russia has supported Maduro. Would Putin butt heads with the U.S. over it? Doubtful, I think. And if he is really pulling the strings within the White House and perhaps elsewhere in government, perhaps this arrangement would be favorable for him. Again what countries make exploiting an undeveloped Venezuela pales in comparison to what they could make first creating the infrastructure and second exploiting a place with oil refineries, better transportation and better agricultural conditions. So maybe Russia gets its cut, and of better action. This is all speculative, just trying to look at it from all angles.