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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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Wednesday, January 7

3 glaring issues with the UK-France peacekeeper troops plan for Ukraine

In a grandly-staged, and much publicized meeting on Jan. 6, Ukraine and its Western allies celebrated a deal that would pave the way for French and British peacekeeping troops to deploy in Ukraine — once the war is over, of course. French President Emmanuel Macron said "considerable progress" had been made. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said work on agreeing security protocols was "largely finished." And President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was a "huge step forward." But there were several

President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Macron, and British Prime Minister Starmer in Paris, France, on Jan. 6, 2026

Ukraine war latest: Putin spent Orthodox Christmas at military base church, independent Russian media says

Hello, this is Asami Terajima reporting from Kyiv on day 1,414 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story: Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have marked Orthodox Christmas at a church in a military base, the Russian independent investigative media outlet Agentstvo reported on Jan. 7. Agenstvo, citing its analysis from a video released by the Kremlin, said it identified the location as the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, located at the base of the

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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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