Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Sergei Melik-Bagdasárov stated on Jan. 26, 2026, that Venezuelan forces in Caracas fired two shots from Russian-supplied anti-aircraft batteries at US troops during the operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, but the shots missed due to insufficient training of Venezuelan military personnel, according to an EFE report shared on X by @PanAmPost_es during the reporting window from 2:17 PM to 5:16 PM UTC. Melik-Bagdasárov made the comments in an interview with the Rossia 24 channel, saying, "In addition to having a machine gun in your hands, you have to know how to shoot it." The statement provides details on Venezuelan military actions amid the US-led operation targeting Maduro, as reported by EFE and circulated on X within the three-hour period.
