Russian-supplied air defence systems deployed by Venezuela were not connected to radar networks, and some equipment was kept in storage, when US forces struck military targets around Caracas in early January.

The Times said part of Venezuela’s Buk-M2 surface-to-air missile force was either not linked to radars or was in warehouses and hangars when American aircraft entered Venezuelan airspace on 3 January 2026. The newspaper based its account on interviews with current and former US officials and on analysis of video from strike sites.

According to the reporting, Buk components were identified as damaged or destroyed at four locations hit during the opening phase of the operation: the port of La Guaira; air-defence positions at Catia-la-Mar; La Carlota air base in Caracas; and Higuerote airport. Footage showed launch vehicles and a command-and-control vehicle burned out at or near military facilities.

The strikes formed part of “Operation Absolute Resolve”, a US mission that ended with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres raised concerns about legality and warned of regional instability, while Washington framed the action as a limited “law enforcement” operation rather than an occupation.

Maduro and Flores were flown to the United States and brought before a federal court in New York. Maduro pleaded not guilty and described himself as a prisoner of war at his arraignment.

Venezuela has for years presented its Russian-built systems as a deterrent. The Times account suggests the immediate problem was not a single failure but a lack of integration and readiness. US officials told the newspaper that the systems were not networked with each other and were not connected to radar, limiting crews’ ability to detect and engage incoming aircraft.

Without active sensors and datalinks, missile crews may receive little warning and limited target tracks when an attack begins.

The Times said Venezuela had also acquired longer-range S-300 systems and Igla-S man-portable missiles, but its analysis centred on Buk units visible in open-source footage.

The report also points to sustainment issues. Venezuela began acquiring Russian air-defence equipment during Hugo Chávez’s presidency, including S-300 systems and Buk-M2, under arms deals financed in part by Russian lending. Reuters reported in September 2009 that Russia agreed to lend Venezuela more than $2 billion to purchase weapons including advanced anti-aircraft missiles.

According to the Times, Venezuelan forces attempted to keep the equipment operational, but often lacked technical expertise and spare parts. The report cited unnamed US officials who suggested Russian engineers and contractors were less available because of Russia’s war in Ukraine. It also relayed another possibility raised by some sources: that Moscow had little interest in enabling Venezuelan units to down a US aircraft, because any American retaliation could be significant for Russia.

Other reporting has emphasised the scale and violence of the operation. The Washington Post reported that the raid involved more than 150 aircraft and that US officials assessed around 75 people were killed, including members of Venezuelan and Cuban security forces and civilians, though the US government has not released a full casualty breakdown.

Business Insider reported that no US aircraft were shot down, and quoted analysts who pointed to maintenance, readiness and operator training as likely factors in Venezuela’s failure to respond.

US officials have not publicly detailed the role of electronic warfare or cyber measures in the raid.

The Times said its findings indicated that, despite months of warnings that an American operation was possible, Venezuela was not prepared. Its account describes systems struck while stored and, in some cases, while being deployed, suggesting air-defence crews did not have time to bring equipment online or disperse it before the first attacks.

International reaction to the raid has been divided. Reuters reported that Venezuela’s envoy to the United Nations denounced the operation as illegal aggression, while Russia and China condemned Washington’s actions; the United States cited criminal allegations against Maduro and self-defence arguments under Article 51 of the UN Charter.