Lightning Raid Captures Maduro and Wife The U.S. special‑operations force seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his spouse on January 3, flying them to the United States to face narco‑terrorism and weapons charges; the operation employed more than 150 aircraft and seized two sanctioned oil tankers, one Russian‑flagged, in the Atlantic [4][3]. Venezuela’s armed forces, equipped with Russian‑supplied S‑300 and Buk systems, failed to stop the raid, exposing gaps between formal defense partnerships and operational effectiveness [2][3]. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was later flown to Russia, while her exact status remained unclear amid heightened UN scrutiny [4].

Russia Condemns Violation of Sovereignty Moscow issued an immediate statement labeling the strike “an unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of an independent state” and demanded clarification, while the Russian foreign ministry emphasized solidarity with the Venezuelan people and noted no Russian citizens were injured [5][4]. President Vladimir Putin remained publicly silent, delegating responses to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the UN ambassador, who accused Washington of neocolonialism [2]. Former deputy foreign minister Andrei Fedorov called the raid “a slap in the face to Putin,” predicting a shift in global oil power dynamics [4]; meanwhile, ex‑president Dmitry Medvedev condemned the act as illegal yet praised Trump’s consistency in defending U.S. interests [3].

Trump Rules Out Troop Mission to Capture Putin In a January 10 interview, Trump told Fox News that a U.S. military operation to seize Vladimir Putin is “not likely” because of his long‑standing personal relationship with the Russian leader and confidence that the mission would be “easier” than his previous eight wars [1]. He added that oversight of such extraterritorial actions could extend beyond a year, highlighting ongoing legal and diplomatic debates in Washington [1]. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Sheldon Whitehouse warned the approach could jeopardize NATO unity, while Vice President J.D. Vance praised the Maduro operation but cautioned on legality [1].

U.S. Pursues Parallel Diplomatic Tracks Despite the Venezuela raid, the Trump administration continued to push a peace framework for Russia‑Ukraine, positioning the Maduro capture as part of a broader strategy to leverage American power on multiple fronts [1][3]. The seizure of the Russian‑flagged tanker was presented as evidence of Venezuela’s illicit oil links, reinforcing the U.S. justification rooted in drug‑trafficking accusations against Maduro [3][4]. Lawmakers and foreign‑policy experts debated the constitutionality of such operations, with some arguing the precedent could expand U.S. unilateral action abroad [1].

Kremlin Split Over Strategic Implications Russian diplomats denounced the raid as aggression, yet hard‑liners used the incident to argue that great powers must defend vital interests, a narrative that bolsters Moscow’s justification for its war in Ukraine [3][5]. Medvedev’s mixed rebuke and praise illustrated internal Kremlin disagreement, while analysts noted the operation weakens Russia’s influence in South America and threatens billions of dollars invested in Venezuelan oil [3][5]. The episode also highlighted the limited practical impact of Russia’s military equipment in Venezuela, prompting speculation about Moscow’s capacity to protect allied regimes [2].