MOSCOW / CARACAS — Jan 3, 2026 — Russia has officially condemned the U.S.-led capture of Nicolás Maduro as an “act of armed aggression,” while privately reeling from the total collapse of its flagship air defense systems during the 30-minute raid.
As the USS Iwo Jima transports the deposed leader toward U.S. soil, Moscow is facing a double crisis: a lost strategic ally and a devastating blow to the reputation of its military hardware.
“Act of Aggression”: The Official Russian Response
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a formal statement Saturday morning, calling the pretext for the U.S. strike “untenable” and “ideologically motivated.”
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Violation of Sovereignty: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated, “This is an unacceptable infringement on the sovereignty of an independent state. The global majority must decisively distance itself from this lawlessness.”
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Demand for Release: Moscow has demanded “immediate clarification” on Maduro’s status and his “immediate release,” warning that the precedent of kidnapping heads of state destroys the foundation of international law.
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UN Security Council: Russia has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to address what it terms “Gunboat Diplomacy 2.0.”
The S-300 Embarrassment: Why Did the Radars Stay Dark?
While the political rhetoric is loud, the technical failure is louder. Venezuela’s defense grid, composed almost entirely of Russian-made S-300VM (Antey-2500), Buk-M2, and Pantsir-S1 systems, failed to fire a single missile during the operation.
Military analysts at Defense Express noted that:
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Electronic Warfare Supremacy: U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers utilized high-frequency jamming that reportedly “ghosted” the S-300 radars, making the U.S. helicopters appear as nothing more than background noise.
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The “Export Grade” Problem: Pro-Kremlin military bloggers (mil-bloggers) are already arguing that the systems in Venezuela were “downgraded export versions” lacking the advanced ECCM (Electronic Counter-Countermeasures) used by the Russian domestic forces.
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Maintenance Collapse: Reports suggest Russian technicians sent to Caracas in late 2025 struggled with “extreme conditions” and power failures, leaving the systems partially unserviced at the time of the strike.
A New “Cold War” in the Caribbean?
The capture of Maduro represents a total loss of Russia’s primary “backyard” asset against the United States.
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Lost Investment: Russia has invested billions in Venezuelan oil and weapons contracts. With a U.S.-backed transitional government likely to take power, those contracts are now considered “null and void” by Washington.
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Retaliation Fears: Intelligence experts warn that Moscow may respond asymmetrically—potentially increasing military pressure in Eastern Europe or the Middle East to distract from its loss of influence in Latin America.
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