Zelensky Finally Found a Way to Pressure Putin. - The Russian Dude [View all]

[TexasTowelie]

The dramatic U.S. operation in Venezuela didn’t just remove Nicolás Maduro — it detonated a geopolitical shockwave that immediately reached Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington. As American forces acted decisively, the Kremlin rushed to push a familiar narrative through Russian state media: Donald Trump didn’t intervene for democracy or human rights, but to seize Venezuelan oil. That storyline is now spreading fast across Russian propaganda channels, reinforcing Putin’s long-standing message that the West is no different from Russia, just more open about its greed. But behind this noise lies something far more dangerous for the Kremlin. The Venezuela crisis revived an old, cynical idea Moscow floated years ago — the unspoken “swap” of Venezuela for Ukraine, a spheres-of-influence deal exposed in 2019 by Trump’s former adviser Fiona Hill. While never formalized, the logic was clear: you stay out of Ukraine, we stay out of Venezuela.

Fast-forward to today, and that thinking suddenly feels alarmingly relevant. As the U.S. asserts power openly, Russia sees precedent — and opportunity. But Ukraine is not just watching this unfold. Volodymyr Zelensky made comments that sounded like a joke at first, then quickly turned chillingly serious. He openly questioned why dictators are removed selectively, forcing the world to confront an uncomfortable truth about power, will, and double standards. While Putin himself remains untouchable, Zelensky hinted at a far more realistic pressure point: Ramzan Kadyrov. The Chechen leader is not just a regional strongman but a central pillar of Putin’s internal stability. His rule is built on fear, personal loyalty, and violence — not institutions.

Targeting Kadyrov, Zelensky implied, could create massive instability inside Russia, far more effectively than symbolic pressure on Putin himself. Chechnya’s collapse would trigger a domino effect across other restless regions, forcing the Kremlin to turn inward at the worst possible moment. This is why Kadyrov may now be in grave danger, and why pressure on Putin is quietly escalating. Venezuela was never just about Latin America — it became a test case, a precedent, and a warning. And Zelensky just showed he understands exactly where Russia’s real weaknesses lie.