17 January 2026

Russia’s Fearsome Arsenal Fizzled in Venezuela. Here’s Why.

Maria Abi-Habib, Eric SchmittChristiaan, Triebert and Julian E. Barnes

The Venezuelan regime had high-powered air defense systems from its allies in the Kremlin, but failed to set much of it up. A destroyed Buk launcher at La Carlota air base in Caracas after the U.S. strikes.Credit...The New York Times The Venezuelan regime had high-powered air defense systems from its allies in the Kremlin, but failed to set much of it up.

A destroyed Buk launcher at La Carlota air base in Caracas after the U.S. strikes.Credit...The New York Times Venezuela’s advanced, Russian-made air defense systems were not even hooked up to radar when U.S. helicopters swooped in to snatch President Nicolás Maduro, American officials say, rendering Venezuelan airspace surprisingly unprotected long before the Pentagon launched its attack.

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