“Fronts of War”. The world order is collapsing. “There has not been such a threat for 80 years”

On January 3, 2026, under the cover of darkness, in a precisely planned action, US special forces attacked the presidential palace in Caracas. As a result of this operation, the Americans captured and kidnapped Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. What happened in the capital of Venezuela resembles a script from a thriller movie, but the effects of this operation are all too real and, according to prof. colonel Dariusz Kozerawski, former rector-commandant of the National Defense University, currently a lecturer at the Department of National Security of the Jagiellonian University, will influence many global events in the year that is just beginning.

Recall that as part of the operation to abduct Maduro and his bee-eaters, the United States engaged 150 air platforms operating from 20 bases, including the most modern F-22 and F-35 fighters. The goal was not to invade the country, but to kidnap the dictator. The Americans first blinded the Venezuelan anti-aircraft defenses with point missile strikes, and then soldiers of special units entered the Acacia and took over the president and his wife.

The pair were evacuated to American warships within just a few hours. Official sources speak of precision, but reports from Venezuela indicate that as a result of the action of American troops, at least 24 soldiers protecting the President of Venezuela and several dozen civilians were killed.

Marcin Wywał in the “Fronty War” podcast compares this situation to Russian attempts to capture Volodymyr Zełenski in 2022. The difference? The Americans succeeded. — Venezuela could not effectively influence American potential. It was a classic of the genre, but with a huge disproportion of power. Ukraine, on the other hand, is a country with one of the best special forces in the world and an effective security system. Ukrainians anticipated Russian plans, explains Prof. Kozerawski.

However, the expert emphasizes that the key to the United States' success in Venezuela was its intelligence. The Americans, according to the former soldier, had “their own people” in the immediate surroundings of the Venezuelan dictator, which allowed the surgical incision to be carried out at the end by their special forces.

— This operation was intended to show the world the effectiveness of Donald Trump. The curtain fell. Not even masks anymore, just a curtain. Behind it we have the US National Security Strategy of December 4, 2025, where the key is to maintain American influence in the Western Hemisphere – the expert analyzes.

Shadow fleet in the crosshairs of the United States

When the world had not yet recovered from the events in Caracas, the Trump administration dealt another blow, this time aimed at the Kremlin's financial and military base. It's about the so-called the shadow fleet, i.e. hundreds of old, often uninsured tankers that Russia uses to bypass sanctions and transport crude oil and military components.

The US Navy made an unprecedented arrest of two such vessels on the high seas. The official announcement talks about “controlling the load of energy resources”, but the guest of “War Fronts” suggest the other side.

— The shadow fleet is a platform that transports more than just natural resources. We don't know what exactly was on the ships detained by the Americans, but we do know that Iran produced components in Venezuela, including electronics for its drones. Stopping these ships was a signal: “We are controlling your every move,” notes Prof. Kozerawski.

This operation, according to the expert, is aimed not only at cutting off the cash flow to Moscow, but above all at blocking the transfer of drone technologies, which have become crucial on the front in Ukraine. At the same time, Trump shows that the “Western Hemisphere” is his sphere of influence, where neither Russia nor China no longer has the right to vote.

Greenland: The end of NATO is in the air?

The most disturbing topic of the conversation, however, is the issue of Greenland. Trump openly admitted that “a military option is always on the table” if Denmark does not agree to the deal to hand over the island to the Americans. As noted by the guest of “War Fronts”, the new US National Security Strategy of December 2025 clearly indicates that the Arctic and Greenland are a very important issue for Washington.

Marcin Wywał asks, however, whether the US military entry into Greenland means the de facto end of NATO? “One ally would attack another,” the journalist points out. Prof. Kozerawski is trying to tone down the mood, although he admits that Trump is using the “bucket of cold water” method in this case.

— Europe was awakened in a brutal way. Therefore, today Denmark and other European countries must be pragmatic. If Trump claims that Europe is unable to ensure Greenland's security, then the matter must be approached differently. I think that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's answer on this issue was brilliant. He proposed that the Americans install more of their soldiers there as allies and that they guard the island together with Europe, says Prof. Colonel Kozerawski.

At the same time, a lecturer at the Department of National Security at the Jagiellonian University emphasizes that Greenland is a great substitute topic for Trump for internal needs. He adds that the situation in the US is tense – prices are rising and support for the MAGA movement is falling before the key midterm elections in November 2026. The president himself, in his opinion, should be aware that the defeat of the Republicans may mean impeachment for him.

What does this mean for Poland?

Prof. Col. Kozerawski warns that the case of Venezuela may become a dangerous precedent for the Russian Federation. In his opinion, if the US can kidnap the leader of a state in its sphere of influence, why shouldn't Putin try the same in Moldova or the Baltic countries? That is why – emphasizes the military officer – the unity of Europe and its solidary support for Ukraine, which is fighting against Russia, is important.

Onet journalists ask about the meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing, which took place on January 6, 2026 in Paris, led by Emmanuel Macron. The leaders of 27 countries discussed increasing military support for Ukraine, including the readiness to send peacekeeping forces to Ukrainian territory to secure a truce or protect key areas.

— Europe is starting to “flex its muscles”, creating coalitions of the willing, but it still lacks real military capabilities – notes Edyta Żemła. He also asks how real the threat from the east is for us today? – Never after World War II has a global strategic player like Russia threatened Poland so much – warns prof. Colonel Kozerawski.

Is Poland prepared for a world where military force replaces diplomacy? More on this in the next episodes of “War Fronts”.