The US raid on Venezuela has exposed the limits of ties between Moscow and Caracas – while pointing the way for potential strategic opportunities for Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Washington’s new era of gunboat diplomacy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lied when he claimed earlier this week that Ukraine tried to kill him in a massive drone attack targeting one of his residences, according to US intelligence.

That was the feverish message from Moscow on Tuesday, as it doubled down on accusing Ukraine of targeting a presidential palace with drones in a bid to disrupt peace talks. Kyiv has dismissed the allegation as a baseless lie aimed at building a pretext for the Kremlin to push ahead with its war.

Vladimir Putin has been lying to Donald Trump and the world about the war in Ukraine, and his false claims have proven costly for both Ukraine and Russia.

January, President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine will have dragged on longer than the war on the Eastern Front that ended with the fall of Berlin in May 1945.

Russian President Vladimir Putin seen at the Kremlin in Moscow on Dec. 8, 2025. Photo by PAVEL BEDNYAKOV/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock Vladimir Putin last week sent Steve ...

This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here. Putin conducted nuclear drills and tested Russia’s new Burevestnik missile to signal he won’t surrender to Ukrainian demands, despite President Trump’s ceasefire ...

Russian President Vladimir Putin ratcheted up tensions with Europe on Tuesday, warning that if the bloc sparked a war with Russia, Moscow was prepared to meet it. Putin also blasted European leaders, accusing them of sabotaging U.S.-led efforts to end the ...