Russian air defence systems in Venezuela were not connected to radars during US operation – NYT
It has emerged that some Russian air defence systems, particularly Buk-M2 systems in service with Venezuela, were not connected to radars or were kept in storage at the time of the US operation in the capital, Caracas, in early January 2026.
Source: The New York Times, citing US politicians and its own analysis of videos from Venezuela
Details: The NYT has identified destroyed or damaged air defence systems in videos from at least four locations that were struck by US helicopters:
- La Guaira, a coastal city that buffers Caracas
- air defence site in Catia La Mar
- La Carlota air base
- Higuerote airport.
The US operation began, among other things, with strikes on locations where Buk systems were stationed. Some were destroyed while still being deployed, as the Venezuelan military was unprepared. Videos from the locations of the strike showed Russian air defence systems in storage facilities, with launchers and a command-and-staff vehicle destroyed.
The Russian systems were not connected to radars at the time of the attack and may not have been operational for years, the NYT reported, citing four current and former US officials.
"Taken together, the evidence suggests that, despite months of warnings, Venezuela was not ready for the American invasion," the newspaper said.
Russia is cited among the reasons for the failure of Venezuela's air defence, as its military personnel and engineers were supposed to maintain the systems. The systems may not have been repaired due to the Russians being "occupied" in Ukraine, or the Kremlin may have deliberately failed to maintain the combat readiness of Venezuela's air defence in order to play along with the Americans, the NYT suggests.
Venezuela tried to maintain the Russian equipment in proper condition on its own, but often lacked both the necessary technical knowledge and spare parts, the NYT reported, citing anonymous US officials.
"If the Venezuelan military had shot down an American aircraft, they said, the blowback on Russia could have been significant," NYT writes.
The journalists reported that Venezuela had purchased its first air defence systems from Russia in 2009, during the presidency of Hugo Chávez. The NYT said Russia had supplied the South American country with S-300 and Buk-M2 systems, as well as Igla-S man-portable air defence systems.
Background:
- On the morning of 3 January, the US operation in Caracas began. At that time, US helicopters attacked Venezuelan military sites and captured and transported the country's president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife to the United States.
- Earlier, Ukrainska Pravda reported that some Russian Buk-M3 and Tor-M2 air defence systems had been destroyed by fighters from Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
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