For more than two decades, Russia enjoyed strong relations with Venezuela, but ultimately did nothing to stop Maduro's capture. With the US saying it will now run Venezuela, what consequences could this have for Russia?

Caracas

The U.S has launched strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities and arrested Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro along wife his wife.

Venezuela Strikes

Russia, Venezuela's primary arms supplier since the early 2000s, had promised to defend the country in the event of Western aggression. However, when the United States bombed Caracas and removed President Nicolás Maduro, Russian defense systems and diplomatic assurances proved ineffective, and Russia did not intervene militarily or prevent subsequent U.S. actions, such as the seizure of an oil tanker.

Analysts suggest logistical challenges and the risk of escalating conflict with the U.S. deterred Russian intervention. The loss of Venezuela as an ally, along with similar developments in Syria, is seen as a symbolic blow to Russia's influence, though experts believe the immediate economic impact on Russia will be limited. The situation highlights Russia's need to adapt its foreign policy in response to shifting global dynamics.

Why didn't Russia aid Venezuela during Maduro's ouster?

Billions of dollars in military equipment. And none of it made a difference. Since the early 2000s, Russia has been Venezuela's biggest source of arms, providing fighter jets, tanks and anti-aircraft missiles. Along with the weapons was also the promise that Russia would come to the South American country's rescue in the event of an attack by the West. Just last year, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro joined Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to sign a renewed defense pact. But when the United States bombed the Venezuelan capital of Caracas and kidnapped Maduro, neither Russia nor those defense systems were of any help. And just a few days later, Russia was unable to stop the U.S. from seizing an oil tanker seemingly carrying its flag, even after saying it deployed a submarine to intercept. When they made those statements, they firmly believed that it would never happen, that the United States would never attack Venezuela. In terms of logistics, it would be impossible for Russia to mobilize anything quickly to do something about the U.S. I mean, it would be suicide for Russians to do anything about this. And I think Russians would not risk a third world war because of Venezuela. In 2024, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebel forces after more than a decade of civil war. Putin had promised to defend his Arab counterpart, but in the end failed to do so, like Maduro. Does Putin see the loss of these allies as a threat to his power, or can he benefit in some way? Putin, I think, believes that he is getting actually profit of this. With the United States heavily involved in the Western Hemisphere, and perhaps in Iran, the United States would not help Ukraine. The relations with the United States and Europe collapse. Europe is on its own, and Putin, at least with Ukraine, can have free hands to do things he wants to do. So he is, in the end, my win. Russia isn't just losing military allies. Its economy could become more threatened as well. With the United States looking to take full control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves, Russia's so-called shadow fleet of illegal oil smuggling ships could be threatened. And local media has reported that the U.S. is prepared to force Venezuela to sever all economic ties with its overseas partners. But some experts think it could have little effect on Russia. It would not have a direct impact, at least in the short perspective to the Russian economy. What it is, it's very symbolic. It's actually, when Trump was saying we get rid of Russia, that is a very symbolic blow to Russian reputation, to Russian image in Latin America. And of course, Russia would have to find a way to build something different. Despite these challenges, Russia has shown its ability to adapt to the loss of another ally.

Former President Bill Clinton is refusing to appear before the House Oversight Committee to testify as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has more.

Washington

Bill Clinton skips Epstein deposition on Capitol Hill

Analysts say the discussions could be pivotal in clarifying U.S. intentions, easing tensions and reinforcing commitments to Greenland’s sovereignty in the face of strategic interests from Washington.

Denmark and Greenland ministers to meet Rubio and Vance at White House

Former Corsican nationalist leader Alain Orsoni, who also served as the president of soccer club AC Ajaccio, was shot dead in Corsica on January 11 during his mother’s funeral. He was 71. Alain Orsoni was one of the leaders of the Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC) in the 1980s. He later founded and led the Movement for Self-Determination (MPA).

Vero

Ex-Corsican nationalist leader Alain Orsoni killed at mother's funeral

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who needs to have a graft conviction overturned to seize her best chance at the French presidency, risks seeing her life's work upended if she loses her appeal. It comes after a French court last year barred her from running for office for five years over a European Parliament fake-jobs scam involving her and other officials from her National Rally party.

Paris

Marine Le Pen's appeal in EU fund embezzlement case opens in Paris

British regulators are investigating X for lewd AI images generated by Grok, the AI arm of Elon Musk's social platform. Michael Goodyear, an associate professor at New York Law School, joins CBS News with more.

London

UK investigating Musk's X over Grok's AI-generated images

As U.S. President Donald Trump weighs a response to Iran's deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, Iranian leaders say they are still keeping communications open with the Americans. But on January 12, large pro-government rallies took place across Iran, and the U.S. was clearly framed as the enemy and instigator of the protests.

Tehran

Iranian leaders mobilise supporters as U.S. weighs intervention

Last week an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent shot and killed Renee Good, a Minneapolis mother who was observing a law enforcement action carried out by the agency.

Minnesota

Minnesota sues federal government to prevent further ICE deployment

The demonstrations are the biggest Iran has seen in years. Protests spurred by the Iranian currency collapse have morphed into a larger test of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's rule.

Trump weighs military action against Iran over protest crackdown

President Claudia Sheinbaum has sought to safeguard Mexican sovereignty while cooperating with the US on key issues.

Mexico City

Mexico’s Sheinbaum rejects Trump’s threat of strikes on drug cartels

President Donald Trump said that any country which does business with Iran will face a tariff rate of 25% on trade with the U.S., as Washington weighs a response to the situation in Iran which is seeing its biggest anti-government protests in years.

Trump says nations trading with Iran will face 25% U.S. tariffs

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says his country is ready for war but also for dialogue, after US President Donald Trump said the US is considering ‘very strong options’ in response to Iran’s crackdown on antigovernment protests.

Iran FM Araghchi warns ready for war if U.S. wants to ‘test’ it

Britain will bring into effect a law criminalizing the creation of non-consensual intimate images this week, technology minister Liz Kendall told parliament after regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X.

UK investigates Musk's X over Grok sexual deepfakes

Iran's internet was cut off late last Thursday, apparently in an attempt by government authorities to prevent protesters from organizing and uploading videos for the outside world to see.

Iran enforcing nationwide internet blackout amid protests

Malaysia and Indonesia have become the first countries to block Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk's company xAI, amid concerns that it is being misused to generate sexually explicit and nonconsensual images.

Malaysia and Indonesia block Musk’s Grok over sexualized AI images

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is on a two-day visit. Merz is traveling with a large business delegation as Germany seeks to deepen economic and security ties.

New Delhi

Germany's Merz makes first official visit to India

At the first major awards show of the season, "One Battle After Another" and "Adolescence" both won four awards. In a surprise win, "Hamnet" upset "Sinners" for best motion picture for a drama.

Los Angeles

"One Battle After Another," "Adolescence" win big at Golden Globes

Fallout from the fatal shooting of Renee Good by a U.S. immigration and customs enforcement officer in Minneapolis continues with government officials standing by the action and ordering more ICE officers into the city.

Minneapolis

Hundreds more ICE agents headed to Minneapolis after fatal shooting

Powell said the investigation, linked to a testimony he gave to a Senate committee about renovations to Fed buildings, was an attempt to limit central bank independence.

U.S. opens criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell

Protests continue in Iran amid a violent government crackdown. Activists say hundreds of demonstrators have been killed. President Trump says Iran now wants to negotiate to prevent a U.S. military response.

Trump says Iran 'wants to negotiate' as protests intensify

President Trump says Iranian leaders have reached out to the U.S. to negotiate, as massive protests continue and more deaths are reported by activists.

Trump weighs military option in Iran amid rising death toll

President Trump has been briefed on new military options for a strike against Iran amid widespread protests and a government crackdown on communications for Iranians, a senior U.S. official tells CBS News. "We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts," he said at the White House.

Trump briefed on new military options for Iran strikes amid protests

Demonstrations in Iran are now entering their third week and the death toll is surging with hundreds killed, according to a human rights group. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei insisted that the Islamic regime will "not back down" in the face of the growing social unrest and calls for regime change.

Protests in Iran intensifying despite threat of death for dissidents

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas showcased a wide array of AI-powered innovations, including paper-thin televisions, interactive Lego, and binoculars that can identify bird species in real time. Notable breakthroughs included .Lumen's AI glasses for the visually impaired and Roborock's Saros Rover, a robotic vacuum cleaner capable of navigating stairs and various surfaces autonomously.

Las Vegas

Rise of AI

AI-powered innovation dominates Consumer Electronics show

Human remains were found in Australia's southeast where bushfires raging for days have razed buildings, cut power to thousands of homes and burned swaths of bushland, police said. The blazes are burning out of control during a summer heat wave in Victoria state.

Victoria

'Gut-wrenching': Australian bushfires expected to burn for weeks

Anti-government protests in Iran show no sign of stopping. Human rights groups are putting the death toll at 116 with 2600 detained. U.S. President Donald Trump has reaffirmed U.S. support for the protesters.

Protests in Iran defy government crackdown

Iran's army is threatening to join the crackdown on protesters as demonstrations against the regime grow and the death toll mounts. Huge crowds have taken to the streets across the Islamic Republic. Iran's Revolutionary Guard calls them "terrorists." Haley Ott has more details.

Iran's army threatens to join crackdown against protesters

President Trump said, "We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not," earlier this week. But Greenland, a territory of Denmark and a NATO ally, is rejecting the threats.

Nuuk

Greenland rejects Trump's threats

Trump, who often cites national security interests as the reason for taking Greenland, said that if the US does not do something, 'Russia or China will take over Greenland'.

Trump says U.S will act on Greenland, 'whether they like it or not'

Protests across the U.S., including in Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Miami, are taking place following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Police declared the demonstrations in downtown Minneapolis an 'unlawful assembly'.

Philadelphia

Protests spread across the U.S. over ICE shooting of woman

Internet and phone lines in Iran have been cut off as anti-government protests enter their second week. Reports say at least 65 people have been killed and more than 2,300 others detained. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of a possible U.S. response to the government crackdown.

Why didn't Russia aid Venezuela during Maduro's ouster?

Breakdown

See The Full Story

Venezuela Strikes