“Didn’t Work, Did They?”: US Defense Chief Taunts Russian Air Defenses After Venezuela Raid

During a public speech on January 5, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth questioned the effectiveness of Russian-made air defense systems deployed in Venezuela, referencing a recent US operation in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

According to remarks published by the Pentagon, Hegseth spoke during his “Arsenal of Freedom” tour stop in Newport News, Virginia.

He stated that “almost 200 of the best Americans” entered downtown Caracas three nights earlier to detain a high-profile target. “Seems those same Russian air defense systems didn’t work so well, did they?” he said.

The operation, conducted by US forces on the night of January 3, involved strikes on several military and government facilities in the Venezuelan capital.

According to Colombian President Gustavo Petro, the targets included military installations and the country’s parliament building. The Venezuelan government responded by declaring a national state of emergency and ordered the full mobilization of its armed forces.

Venezuelan authorities also announced plans to file complaints with the United Nations and other international bodies, describing the US operation as a violation of national sovereignty.

Hegseth emphasized that no American personnel were harmed during the operation. He added that the mission was conducted in support of US law enforcement agencies and resulted in the capture of an individual sought by the American justice system.

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The captured individual was later confirmed to be Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. According to US President Donald Trump, Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were transferred to a federal detention facility in Brooklyn, New York. The charges against them reportedly include narcoterrorism, cocaine trafficking, and unlawful possession of explosives and firearms.

Venezuela has received multiple shipments of Russian air defense systems over the past decade. These include S-300VM systems delivered in 2013, as well as Buk-M2 and Pantsir-S1 systems reportedly transferred in late 2025. Russia has also provided billions of dollars in loans and maintained political support for Maduro’s government throughout this period.

Earlier, on January 3, US forces destroyed a Russian‑supplied Buk‑M2E air defense system at La Carlota airbase in Caracas as part of a broader strike on Venezuelan military infrastructure. The system had been deployed to protect strategic sites around the capital and was part of a Buk‑M2E battalion delivered to Venezuela in late 2025.

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