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Why Trump’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro is both a blessing and a curse for Russia
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Why Trump’s capture of Venezuela’s Maduro is both a blessing and a curse for Russia

by Oleg Sukhov

The U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, a Kremlin ally, is a blow to Russia's influence in Latin America. However, Russia may also derive some benefits from U.S. President Donald Trump's unprovoked intervention. First, Trump's apparent violation of international law plays into the Kremlin's handbook, analysts say. Russia is likely to use the legally dubious U.S. operation as a justification for its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Second, Russia may also ac

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Critics like to chastise Ukraine for its heavy-handed mobilization tactics; more friendly observers view it as an area of strategic vulnerability. So, where does it stand now? The sometimes heavy-handed process of bundling unwilling men into vans is loathed by many and exploited by anti-Ukrainian propaganda — especially in the darker corners of social media. So it may come as a surprise that over the past 12 months, mobilization in Ukraine has grown less violent and more resistant to Russian t

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'Embarrassing' — We asked 3 experts why Venezuela's Russian-supplied air defenses were AWOL

A fire burns at Fuerte Tiuna, after a series of explosions in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 3, 2026.

Of all the images that emerged from the U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3, one of the most surreal was the sight of a fleet of American helicopters flying unchallenged over the skies of Caracas. Video from Caracas, Venezuela shows U.S. military helicopters, including CH-47 Chinook and V-22 Osprey aircraft, operating over Caracas alongside multiple explosions. The cause and context of the blasts remain unconfirmed. pic.twitter.com/owOx9X7DPP — George

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