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During the U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, Russia-supplied air defense systems in Venezuela were not connected to radar networks, and parts of the systems were reportedly kept in storage, rendering them inoperative.
This was reported by The New York Times.
The outlet recalls that Venezuela announced the purchase of Russian air defense complexes in 2009 amid tensions with Washington. Then-President Hugo Chávez described the weapons as a “deterrent against American aggression.” However, according to the report, Venezuela failed to properly maintain and operate the S-300 systems and Buk missile complexes.
Four U.S. officials told the publication that the failure left Venezuelan airspace vulnerable when the Pentagon launched Operation “Absolute Resolve” to seize Maduro.
NYT’s analysis of photos, videos, and satellite imagery also showed that some air defense components were stored rather than deployed at the time of the operation.
“Taken together, the evidence suggests that despite months of warnings, Venezuela was unprepared for a U.S. incursion. The apparent incompetence of the Venezuelan military played a major role in the success of the U.S. operation,” the report states.
Former officials and analysts noted that Venezuela’s air defense network was essentially not functioning when U.S. helicopters entered the country’s airspace. Years of corruption, poor logistics, and sanctions significantly degraded combat readiness, said former CIA station chief in Venezuela Richard de la Torre.
However, two former U.S. officials also suggested that Russia may have deliberately allowed the systems to deteriorate to avoid provoking a deeper confrontation with Washington. Had Venezuelan forces shot down a U.S. aircraft, consequences for Moscow could have been severe, they said.
Earlier, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Russian air defenses in Venezuela “did not perform very well” during the operation.
