Moscow, January 3, 2026: Russia has strongly criticised the United States for launching a military strike in Venezuela and detaining incumbent President Nicolas Maduro, terming the operation an act of armed aggression and warning that it threatens regional stability.
In a sharply worded statement issued on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the US action had raised serious concerns and deserved outright condemnation. Moscow rejected the justification offered by Washington, saying ideological hostility had overridden diplomatic engagement and any attempt to build relations based on trust and predictability.
The ministry emphasised that the immediate priority should be to prevent further escalation and urged all sides to pursue a political solution through dialogue. It reiterated Russia’s position that disputes must be resolved through diplomatic channels and not military force, stressing that Venezuela has the sovereign right to determine its own future without external interference.
Russia also backed calls from several South American leaders for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the crisis. The Foreign Ministry said it stood in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and reaffirmed support for the country’s Bolivarian leadership in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity. It underlined that Latin America should remain a zone of peace, as declared by regional nations in 2014.
The US action has drawn mixed international reactions. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed support for Washington’s move, arguing that President Maduro lacked political legitimacy. She said the EU was closely monitoring the situation, had consistently called for a peaceful transition in Venezuela, and stressed that international law and the UN Charter must be respected. Kallas also said ensuring the safety of EU citizens in Venezuela was a priority.
Meanwhile, US Senator Mike Lee said he was briefed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who informed him that Maduro had been arrested by US personnel and would face criminal charges in the United States. Lee said the military action was undertaken to protect those executing the arrest and could fall under the US president’s constitutional authority to safeguard American personnel from imminent threats.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela, during which President Maduro and his wife were captured and taken out of the country. Trump said the operation was conducted in coordination with US law enforcement agencies and that further details would be shared at a press conference.
The dramatic development comes amid sharply deteriorating relations between Washington and Caracas. Trump has repeatedly accused Maduro of leading what he describes as a narco-terrorist regime, while Venezuela and its allies have condemned the US actions as a violation of international law and national sovereignty.
