The Kremlin finds itself unable to provide robust aid to the government of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran.
Russian President Vladimir Putin / © Associated Press
The focus of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the conflict in Ukraine has become so intense that nations once regarded as “key allies” are experiencing a decline in backing from the Kremlin. Following a silent agreement regarding the US intervention involving Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, Putin appears poised to “abandon” Iran.
Bloomberg reports this information, citing well-informed sources who requested anonymity.
The report highlights that, within Venezuela, authorities now perceive their enduring security partnership with Moscow as merely a “paper tiger.”
“They are not unique: from Damascus and Tehran to Havana, during the past year, authoritarian governments that previously benefitted from strong links with the Kremlin have encountered a shortage of Russian assistance when crucially needed,” the report states.
Bloomberg’s sources suggest that the removal of Venezuelan head Nicolas Maduro by US forces greatly surprised Venezuelan officials; they expressed disappointment that Russian and Cuban intelligence agencies failed to foresee the danger, despite overt signals from US President Donald Trump concerning his intention to oust Maduro.
Venezuela also expresses concern over the performance of Russia's S-300 and Buk-M2 air defense systems in safeguarding its airspace, suggesting that Russia failed to deliver adequate technical backing. Similarly, Venezuela's digital defenses depended on the Russians, but they proved incapable of preventing US cyber operations that resulted in a power disruption during Maduro’s ouster.
Consequently, this resulted in a lapse in security confidence between Venezuela, Cuba, and Russia.
The source pointed out that Maduro's capture is regrettable for Russia, but not devastating. A significantly greater concern is potentially losing Iran as a vital partner, given the significantly deeper levels of collaboration between Russia and Iran, especially in defense matters, the sources added.
Bloomberg’s sources allege that Russia might publicly endorse Iran, yet it is improbable that it will proactively aid Tehran due to constrained resources and the imperative of ending the Ukrainian war.
The report reminded readers that Iran endured attacks from the US last year, and now Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is confronting domestic demonstrations that threaten his governance, along with the possibility of renewed US military measures.
As a reminder, it was previously indicated that since the rise of extensive demonstrations in Iran, which pose a threat to the overthrow of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s administration, Russian military transport planes have begun conducting regular flights to Tehran.