Why Putin Hasn't Reacted to the US Capture of His Strategic Partner, Maduro

On Monday, during a session of the UN Security Council, Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, denounced Washington for "fostering a new impetus toward neocolonialism and imperialism." However, immediately after the US regime-change operation, Putin's absence was noticeable—he is the only individual who truly holds sway in Russian politics. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who condemned what he described as "unilateral harassment" by Washington, did not issue any immediate public statement on the raid. Likewise, he has yet to comment on the boarding and seizure of a Russian-flagged vessel by US forces on Wednesday.