The Kremlin reacted sharply and aggressively to the US attack on Venezuela, effectively praising nuclear weapons as a “security guarantee” for states.
According to Russian media reports, the statement was made by Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council. In his statement, he called the US actions a “harsh military operation” and claimed that “special forces had captured the legally elected president of Venezuela and his wife,” adding ironically that this was allegedly “another step towards the Nobel Peace Prize.”
A separate section of Medvedev’s statement was devoted to Ukraine — he used offensive and derogatory language toward the Ukrainian authorities and called on the US to “show the same activity” against Ukraine. In addition, in his commentary, the Kremlin representative concluded that the events in Caracas are “proof” of the need to build up military strength to the maximum, directly proclaiming: “Long live nuclear weapons.”
Russia has supported Venezuela’s ruling regime for many years and has close political, economic, and military ties with Caracas. Moscow recognizes President Nicolas Maduro’s authority as legitimate, has provided Venezuela with financial and military-technical assistance, invested in the oil industry, and viewed the country as a key ally in Latin America.
At the same time, the US accuses Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of narco-terrorism, international drug trafficking, money laundering, and leading the so-called “Cartel of the Suns,” a network of Venezuelan security forces that the US government considers a criminal organization. The US Department of Justice brought these charges back in 2020 and announced a reward for information leading to his arrest.
Today, January 3, US President Donald Trump said that the United States had carried out a large-scale operation in Venezuela, during which the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife were captured. According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, no further US action is planned in Venezuela, as Maduro is in custody and will be tried on criminal charges in the United States.