US EditionUS Military Action in Venezuela Is Seen as Both a Blessing and a Curse for Russia's Putin
US forces captured Maduro in a swift operation, exposing Russia's limited military and economic ability to protect allies amid ongoing Ukraine conflict, analysts said.
- On January 3, 2026, US special forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in Operation Absolute Resolve in Caracas, effectively ending his rule.
- Facing an exhausted military and economic pressure from the Ukraine war, Vladimir Putin avoided escalation, as limits on Russia's military and desire to preserve diplomatic leverage restrained Moscow.
- US air strikes, drones and helicopters struck key Venezuelan defences before the raid, deploying 150 helicopters and fighter jets in a 2 hours and 20 minutes mission that caused over 80 deaths, AP reported.
- Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs demanded Maduro's release while Putin stayed silent; Delcy Rodríguez, acting Venezuelan president appointed by the Supreme Court, called the abduction `Zionist undertones`.
- Investors see a chance to gain Venezuelan assets, with Elliott Investment Management among those positioned to control US-based oil refineries after Maduro's removal, while President Donald Trump aims to return Venezuelan oil to markets.
50 Articles
50 Articles
US military action in Venezuela is seen as both a blessing and a curse
The lightning U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro can be seen as both a benefit and a burden for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces botched an attempt to capture Ukraine’s capital and topple its leader at the start of Moscow’s invasion nearly four years ago. The ouster of Maduro highlights another Kremlin failure to support an ally, following the downfall of Syria’s former President Bashar Assad in 2024 and las…
Maduro Found Out the Hard Way—Russia Is an Unreliable Ally
US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, in a surprise attack named Operation Absolute Resolve. Maduro was a strong supporter of Russia, and while Putin secretly supplied Maduro with military tech to crush mass protests in 2018, evidently, the Kremlin failed to provide him with the means to avoid capture, and has responded with only condemnations. Since the fall of the USSR, and especially under Putin, Russia has t…
The reactions to the U.S. Maduro arrest have been violent in Russia. What the Kremlin-like coverage unites is a tame admiration for the rival. And the question: why can the U.S., what Russia has been trying to do for years?
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- 56% of the sources are Center
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