Russian air defenses missing in action right before Maduro abduction? Who switched off the Buk-M2Es?

Donald Trump’s strikes on Venezuela sent a clear signal beyond Caracas, exposing vulnerabilities in Russian-supplied air defense systems. U.S. attacks reportedly destroyed a Buk-M2E surface-to-air missile system deployed to protect key military sites in the capital, raising questions over Russia’s defense technology and its effectiveness in modern warfare. As U.S. forces captured Nicolas Maduro, footage showed little active air defense response, despite Venezuela’s reliance on Russian systems, including Buk batteries and Su-30 fighter jets.