Nicolas Maduro boasted about the Russian air defense systems deployed in his country during verbal disputes with Donald Trump, a few months before the US military operation in Venezuela. Now they have proven ineffective.

According to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, more than 150 aircraft of various types participated in the operation on the night of January 3, 2026.

What systems should have protected Venezuela?

Austrian military historian Markus Reisner believes that Russian systems should have performed much better technically.

The United States' strategy was based on the suppression of enemy air defenses, cyberattacks against the command and control system, air defense control, and "inside work" by the US intelligence services CIA and DIA. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), between 2008 and 2014 alone, Russia supplied Venezuela with several air defense systems. For this reason, the then Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, was even awarded the Order of Merit for National Security in Venezuela in 2015, although SIPRI data is incomplete due to a lack of transparency. In reality, experts estimate that Venezuela possessed more Russian air defense systems of varying ranges. In fact, it is one of the densest multi-layered air defense systems in Latin America. In October 2024, Russia reportedly supplied more Pantsir, Buk-M2, and Igla-S anti-aircraft systems. “All the armed forces of the world know the power of the Igla-S missile, and Venezuela has at least 5,000,” Maduro said in October 2025. “Venezuela’s air defense is based on Russian systems and combined with a Chinese radar system for detecting air attacks. It was the most powerful in Latin America, which is not surprising, since most countries on the continent are not afraid of suffering air attacks,” Russian military expert Yuri Fyodorov explained to DW.

What happened during the US attack?

The US military operation began with a cyberattack that crippled much of Caracas's power supply and allowed 150 US aircraft, drones, and helicopters to approach the capital undetected. According to the Washington Post, to secure a corridor, six air defense installations meant to protect Caracas were attacked. These included the port of La Guaira, the La Carlota air base, and the Fuerte Tiuna military base.

Furthermore, Western military experts say that a significant portion of the air defenses were inoperable due to years of poor maintenance and a lack of spare parts, but also because Russia has failed to meet its repair and modernization commitments.

In October, the Washington Post reported, citing several sources, that Maduro, faced with the US military presence in the Caribbean, asked Russia and China to reinforce the Venezuelan military with missiles, drones, radars, and aircraft.

But, according to the newspaper, both Moscow's interest in and support for Venezuela have declined in recent years.

The US operation, which lasted about two hours, culminated in the capture of Maduro, with no casualties among the US armed forces.

Why did Venezuela's air defense fail?

Yuri Fiodorov attributes the failure of Venezuela's air defense to the use of US F-35 and F-22 fighter jets: “These fifth-generation aircraft are very difficult to detect by radar. Fifth-generation aircraft can overcome air defenses with relative ease, even Russian S-400 systems.”

Military expert Daniel Bachmat told The Telegraph that air defense systems cannot cope with a combination of real-time reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and precision weapons.

Another problem, according to experts, was the mountainous terrain of Caracas. Russian air defense systems are designed for flat terrain, so the planes and missiles were able to fly at low altitude and remain hidden, according to The Telegraph. For Yuri Fyodorov, the main reason for the failure of the Venezuelan air defense was human error: “It’s not so much about the technical capabilities of one side or the other, but rather that the Venezuelan armed forces simply rested on their laurels and didn’t expect to be attacked.”To secure a corridor, six air defense installations meant to protect Caracas were attacked. These included the port of La Guaira, the La Carlota air base, and the Fuerte Tiuna military base. Furthermore, Western military experts assert that a considerable portion of the air defenses were inoperable due to years of poor maintenance and a lack of spare parts, but also because Russia has failed to fulfill its repair and modernization commitments. In October, the Washington Post reported, citing several sources, that Maduro, faced with the US military presence in the Caribbean, asked Russia and China to reinforce the Venezuelan Army with missiles, drones, radars, and aircraft. But, according to the newspaper, both Moscow's interest in and support for Venezuela have declined in recent years.

The US operation, which lasted about two hours, culminated in the capture of Maduro, with no casualties among the US armed forces.

Why did Venezuela's air defense fail?

Yuri Fiodorov attributes the failure of Venezuela's air defense to the use of US F-35 and F-22 fighter jets: “These fifth-generation aircraft are very difficult to detect by radar. Fifth-generation aircraft can overcome air defenses with relative ease, even Russian S-400 systems.”

Military expert Daniel Bachmat told The Telegraph that air defense systems cannot cope with a combination of real-time reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and precision weapons.

Another problem, according to experts, was the mountainous terrain of Caracas. Russian air defense systems are designed for flat terrain, so the planes and missiles were able to fly at low altitude and remain hidden, according to The Telegraph. For Yuri Fyodorov, the main reason for the failure of the Venezuelan air defense was human error: “It’s not so much about the technical capabilities of one side or the other, but rather that the Venezuelan armed forces simply rested on their laurels and didn’t expect to be attacked.”To secure a corridor, six air defense installations meant to protect Caracas were attacked. These included the port of La Guaira, the La Carlota air base, and the Fuerte Tiuna military base. Furthermore, Western military experts assert that a considerable portion of the air defenses were inoperable due to years of poor maintenance and a lack of spare parts, but also because Russia has failed to fulfill its repair and modernization commitments. In October, the Washington Post reported, citing several sources, that Maduro, faced with the US military presence in the Caribbean, asked Russia and China to reinforce the Venezuelan Army with missiles, drones, radars, and aircraft. But, according to the newspaper, both Moscow's interest in and support for Venezuela have declined in recent years.

The US operation, which lasted about two hours, culminated in the capture of Maduro, with no casualties among the US armed forces.

Why did Venezuela's air defense fail?

Yuri Fiodorov attributes the failure of Venezuela's air defense to the use of US F-35 and F-22 fighter jets: “These fifth-generation aircraft are very difficult to detect by radar. Fifth-generation aircraft can overcome air defenses with relative ease, even Russian S-400 systems.”

Military expert Daniel Bachmat told The Telegraph that air defense systems cannot cope with a combination of real-time reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and precision weapons.

Another problem, according to experts, was the mountainous terrain of Caracas. Russian air defense systems are designed for flat terrain, so the planes and missiles were able to fly at low altitude and remain hidden, according to The Telegraph. For Yuri Fyodorov, the main reason for the failure of the Venezuelan air defense was human error: “It’s not so much about the technical capabilities of one side or the other, but rather that the Venezuelan armed forces simply rested on their laurels and didn’t expect to be attacked.”In response to the US military presence in the Caribbean, he asked Russia and China to reinforce the Venezuelan Army with missiles, drones, radars and aircraft. But, according to the newspaper, both Moscow's interest in and support for Venezuela have declined in recent years.

The US operation, which lasted about two hours, culminated in the capture of Maduro, with no casualties among the US armed forces.

Why did Venezuela's air defense fail?

Yuri Fiodorov attributes the failure of Venezuela's air defense to the use of US F-35 and F-22 fighter jets: “These fifth-generation aircraft are very difficult to detect by radar. Fifth-generation aircraft can overcome air defenses with relative ease, even Russian S-400 systems.”

Military expert Daniel Bachmat told The Telegraph that air defense systems cannot cope with a combination of real-time reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and precision weapons.

Another problem, according to experts, was the mountainous terrain of Caracas. Russian air defense systems are designed for flat terrain, so the planes and missiles were able to fly at low altitude and remain hidden, according to The Telegraph. For Yuri Fyodorov, the main reason for the failure of the Venezuelan air defense was human error: “It’s not so much about the technical capabilities of one side or the other, but rather that the Venezuelan armed forces simply rested on their laurels and didn’t expect to be attacked.”In response to the US military presence in the Caribbean, he asked Russia and China to reinforce the Venezuelan Army with missiles, drones, radars and aircraft. But, according to the newspaper, both Moscow's interest in and support for Venezuela have declined in recent years.

The US operation, which lasted about two hours, culminated in the capture of Maduro, with no casualties among the US armed forces.

Why did Venezuela's air defense fail?

Yuri Fiodorov attributes the failure of Venezuela's air defense to the use of US F-35 and F-22 fighter jets: “These fifth-generation aircraft are very difficult to detect by radar. Fifth-generation aircraft can overcome air defenses with relative ease, even Russian S-400 systems.”

Military expert Daniel Bachmat told The Telegraph that air defense systems cannot cope with a combination of real-time reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and precision weapons.

Another problem, according to experts, was the mountainous terrain of Caracas. Russian air defense systems are designed for flat terrain, so the planes and missiles were able to fly at low altitude and remain hidden, according to The Telegraph. For Yuri Fyodorov, the main reason for the failure of the Venezuelan air defense was human error: “It’s not so much about the technical capabilities of one side or the other, but rather that the Venezuelan armed forces simply rested on their laurels and didn’t expect to be attacked.”So the planes and missiles were able to fly at low altitude and remain hidden, according to The Telegraph. For Yuri Fiodorov, the main reason for the failure of the Venezuelan air defense was human error: “It’s not so much about the technical capabilities of one side or the other, but rather that the Venezuelan armed forces simply rested on their laurels and didn’t expect to be attacked.”So the planes and missiles were able to fly at low altitude and remain hidden, according to The Telegraph. For Yuri Fiodorov, the main reason for the failure of the Venezuelan air defense was human error: “It’s not so much about the technical capabilities of one side or the other, but rather that the Venezuelan armed forces simply rested on their laurels and didn’t expect to be attacked.”

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