- January 5, 2026
- 11:32 am
- World News
The New Year began for the Kremlin with unpleasant signals. The detention of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro by American forces and the growing instability in Iran call into question the very architecture of alliances on which Russia’s foreign policy was based. The year 2026 increasingly looks like a milestone after which old agreements will cease to work.
Against the backdrop of the protracted war in Ukraine, Putin’s position looks more vulnerable than ever in recent years. Attempts to divert attention with stories of a “fake attack” on his own residence coincided with much more painful events: the fall of the Venezuelan partner and the outbreak of mass protests in Iran after an unsuccessful military confrontation with Israel.
The so-called “special operation,” conceived as a quick victory, exposed systemic weaknesses — from the army to the economy. Under sanction pressure and with a shrinking circle of allies, Moscow increasingly resembles a center of power without support.
Venezuela: The End of the Oil Support
Venezuela, possessing the world’s largest proven oil reserves — about 300 billion barrels — has become a symbol of state degradation over the years of Hugo Chávez’s successors’ rule. Nicolás Maduro bet not on reforms but on confrontation and isolation.
The economy collapsed, poverty became the norm, and drug trafficking turned into one of the key sources of the regime’s survival. Cooperation with Russia quickly evolved from a pragmatic partnership into a rescue alliance — both sides needed each other as a counterbalance to the West.
Decisive actions by the USA overturned this structure. The operation to detain Maduro and his wife by special forces was not just an impressive gesture but a direct signal: the Kremlin’s influence in Latin America has come to an end.
Iran: Protest Without Fear
Simultaneously, Iran is entering a new phase of internal crisis. This time, the protests go beyond the usual social groups and encompass segments of the population previously considered loyal to the regime. The country’s economy is in a dire state, the rial is devalued, and food shortages are becoming a daily reality.
Meanwhile, the regime continues to finance external projects — from Hezbollah to Hamas, investing in drones, missiles, and military developments. After the conflict with Israel, Iran found itself in a vulnerable position, and fear of the street ceased to be a restraining factor.
For the first time in a long time, protesters openly unite around symbols of an alternative, including the figure of Reza Pahlavi. In some cases, security forces prefer not to intervene. This is a troubling sign for the theocracy, which has relied on control and fear for decades.
The Breakup of the Tehran-Caracas Axis
The fall of Maduro resonates painfully in Tehran as well. In recent years, a stable alliance has formed between Iran, Hezbollah, and Venezuela, finally formalized in 2022 under the slogan of joint resistance to American influence.
Latin America became an important logistical and financial zone for Iranian structures. Now this network is cracking at the seams. The dismantling of one of the nodes threatens the entire structure, in which the Kremlin was inscribed as a political guarantor.
The World on the Brink of Reorganization
The media reaction is also sharply contrasting. Mass protests in Iran remain on the periphery of attention, while conflicts in Gaza are discussed around the clock. Criticism of US actions in Venezuela often ignores the very nature of Maduro’s regime — authoritarian, corrupt, and closely linked to criminal structures.
The events of recent months increasingly resemble the beginning of a redistribution of power. Back in 2014, Henry Kissinger warned that without conscious interaction of great powers, the world risks plunging into chaos. Today, this risk has ceased to be theoretical.
If Europe and democratic countries want to maintain influence and security, they will have to act coherently and pragmatically, rather than react post-factum. The year 2026 becomes a test of the world’s ability to adapt to a new reality — a reality where old axes are collapsing, and new rules are only being formed. It is precisely these processes that NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency is closely monitoring.
