Nicolas Maduro showered Vladimir Putin with praise during his visit to Moscow on Victory Day in May 2025. The Venezuelan leader described Russia as "a key power of humanity" and the two heads of state signed a cooperation agreement.

But on January 3, Russia stood back and watched as the US forcibly brought Maduro and his wife to New York, where they are being tried for drug trafficking.

Russian air defenses failed to protect Maduro

Three days after the fall of the Venezuelan president, Putin...