The Duran Podcast - Did Putin trick Trump with false location for drone strikes?

Episode Date: January 7, 2026

Did Putin trick Trump with false location for drone strikes?

All right, Alexander, let's do an update on what is going on in Ukraine. We have a government shakeup. We've talked about Budanov, but we also have some more positions that have changed in the Zelensky regime. I believe Schmigel is moving from defense minister to energy minister. I believe the Maluk, who is in charge of the SBU, has been sacked as well. and yeah, we have this shakeup going on in Ukraine. And, of course, the big story now for the moment is Venezuela, but the Russians continue to advance along the front lines.

But in general, it looks like Ukraine has taken a backseat to everything that is going on in Venezuela. Even though, Zelensky said that he's going to be meeting with the Europeans and they're going to talk about money and weapons. Of course, they're going to talk about money and weapons. Oh, and we have some breaking news, Alexander, which is that Christia Freeland has been appointed as an economic, one second, as an economic advisor to the Zelensky regime.

How about that, huh? Economic Development, advisor on economic development. Well, she's absolutely perfect for that role. She was, after all, a reporter 20 years ago at the Financial Times. So she knows all about economics. And she's absolutely the right person to come to Ukraine and sort out all its various problems. Anyway, let's go to the heart of this. There is a major change. I would call it a purge being carried out in Kiev at the present. time, but it's a very confusing one. So Wadanaf is now appointed chief of staff. He's major rival, Maluk, who was the head of the rival intelligence agency to the one that Wudanav himself led, which is the SBAU. Maluk has now apparently been sacked. We don't yet know who's going to take over as head of the SBAU. Schmeagle, who's only been imposed. as defence minister for six months has also been sacked and he's been transferred to the post

of energy minister, which is a disastrous position to be in because the Russians are dismantling Ukraine's entire energy complex. So I, you know, it's not a job I would have thought that anybody would want at this particular time. That's that's another thing to say. But, it's also the case that Zelensky continues to try to balance factions. So even as he's got rid of Schmigel and appointed a completely unknown person, 34 years old to take over the defense ministry, somebody with no actual background or experience in military matters. He's also appointed the head of foreign, Ukraine's foreign intelligence service to take over Budanov's old job running

Ukraine military intelligence. And this person historically is a close ally of Budanov's predecessor and immense enemy and rival, Zelensky's previous chief of staff, Andrei Yermak. So when gets the sense that on the one hand, Budanov is trying to move his own people into key positions, which is why you see Malioch pushed out, perhaps the new defence minister brought in. But at the same time, Zelensky is trying to push back a little

and is bringing some of Yermak's old people back into the ministries. Now, we could spend a huge amount of time discussing this. And in some ways, it's not perhaps vastly fruitful. In terms of politics and foreign policy and approach to negotiations with Russia, I don't think it is going to make any difference at all. I go back to what we said in previous programs that Wodana's appointment has all the look to me of preparing for the day after the conventional war ends and Ukraine is defeated and preparing for a long-term insurgency. And we see that the CIA is playing an immensely important role in Ukraine. Now, we've discussed this already in a previous program.

But at the same time, these political games are interesting because of what they tell us about Zelensky's own position. And whilst he is still there and he's still able to make some moves, one gets the sense that he is being gradually, his star is gradually fading. Is Putin still going to go down this path? of negotiating with Trump as the neutral mediator and the Trump administration that is pragmatic and rational and really does want peace in Ukraine. Is the Putin administration still going to resort to this fiction in this theater, given

everything that has happened in Venezuela, not only everything that has happened in Venezuela, but also given Trump's recent statements where he has said that he doesn't even believe the drone strike in Novgorod. And in mission, but just to put things in context, we now have to have. have an admission by the CIA through the New York Times that drones were sent into the region targeting a location close to Putin's residency, but not targeting Putin's residency. And we now have Trump on record saying the same exact thing. Yes, drones were sent into the region of Putin's residency, but they were not targeting Putin's residency. They were just

targeting somewhere nearby is what, I think that's what Trump said. I think those were his exact words. They were targeting a place nearby. Quite an astonishing statement from the U.S. president. But still, the U.S. president saying he does not believe the story from Putin. And he has also said that he is now, do you say disappointed? I think he said disappointed with Putin again as well. So is Russia still going to go through with this whole mediating with talking with the United States as the neutral mediator thing? Are they going to finally give it up? I don't think they're going to finally give it up, even though it is exhausting to many people, very frustrating for many people in Russia itself, this clearly hostility and criticism of it within the Security Council. Bear in mind,

I track Russian political statements all the time every day. And I have not seen any single senior Russian official, except Putin and Dimitriyev, who gives any impression of endorsing this. One of the others are clearly, clearly are frustrated and hostile to it, and Medvedev is as openly critical of it as it is possible for a senior Russian official to be. But I think Putin is going to go along with it, because one, he is personally deeply invested in this, and they still have some strange idea that he's going to develop a relationship with Trump. But I've also been told over the weekend by somebody who has access with information from the Russian Parliament that within Russia itself, everybody also senses that this is ultimately a charade

that it has to be put on in order to keep Russia's allies on side, India, China and all of the others. but ultimately that they do all understand that this is all going to end with a military outcome. And I suspect that is probably true. Well, that leads me to my follow-up question. A charade to keep all of Russia's allies on side. Will that charade still hold, given that China has been so burned in Venezuela? I think that might eventually, if there is a sense that China and some of the other countries are changing policies. as well, actually.

Yeah. Brazil as well, exactly. Well, can I just say, if we're talking about Venezuela, and we haven't talked about Brazil much, but Brazil is, in my opinion, the biggest loser of all, because it is supposed to be the great power in Latin America. And we see it's not consulted. It's pushed aside.

The United States is going to go into Venezuela, and Lula, frankly, looks ridiculous at this moment. But Brazil, as we know, is deeply divided. It's got all the same other problems that other Latin American states have. And Lula has presented himself as the great peacemaker in Ukraine too. He's been the person who's been pushing amongst the brick states hardest for the Russians to agree to a ceasefire. And again, that's going to change. I think Lula is deeply invested in this because it's part of his image.

And it makes him feel that he's a great international statement, even as statesmen, even as he gets humiliated in his own region. So I think the Russians are going to have to continue with the charade. And besides, I think Putin himself at some level continues to be invested. I know this is disappointing for many people to hear. Disappointing for many people in Russia to hear. But I think we're going to have to see a lot more of this continue. you over the next few months.

Well, my question is, there's this charade that that's going on and saying that it has to take place because of China and India and Brazil has now, in a way, been blown apart by what's happened in Venezuela. Yeah. So this actually makes Putin look very, very, it puts him in a very difficult position in a because he's, the excuses that we have to go along with this because our BRICS partners would like us to continue to negotiate with the United States, while at the same time, the United States is doing all of this that's happening in Venezuela to the detriment

of China and Brazil. Yes. And so doesn't, doesn't this make Putin look kind of, kind of, is it silly to go forward with this charade in a way? Or is it, or is the truth of the matter that this is really about, this is not really about China and Brazil and India, wanting Russia to go through with negotiations with the United States? What this is really about is that Putin really does want a diplomatic settlement specifically

with the United States, not with Europe, not with anybody else. He just wants to make that deal with Putin, with Trump. Well, I think there may be something in that. I mean, I actually do sense that pressure from the other brick states for a diplomatic solution has been fading. He was very, very strong, as I remember, in the summer of 2024. And that was what drove Putin at that time to make the 14th of June 2024 statement, Istanbul plus.

I mean, he did that. He didn't really want to make a public statement of that kind. but he did it because he had to show to the Chinese, and especially to the Brazilians and to the Indians, that he was not simply looking for a military solution and that he was looking for some kind of peace settlement if one could be obtained. But those were the days of Joe Biden. Then Trump came along. Trump has talked about a rapprochement with Russia, about establishing economic. links about Russia and the United States having core interests in achieving stability, about

stabilization, joint stabilization of Russia's Western border, about stability in Europe. And I have to say they are the sort of things, which I can imagine Putin saying to himself, well, I have a president who's talking about all of these things. I'm probably never going to get such a president again. So let me actually invest time and effort and see whether this leads somewhere. And when somebody does do that, then they inevitably get drawn in to a negotiating process that they find difficult to give up. So I suspect that there's a bit of both.

I suspect the pressure from bricks is fading. But I suspect that. Putin himself still continues to be fairly committed to this process and will continue to be committed to this process, at least for some time. What is going to change everything is going to be the situation on the ground because whatever steps Putin has taken to try to keep this show with Trump on the road, he's never made fundamental concessions on Russia's position. I think he realizes that if he did, by the way, I'm not saying he wants to, but I think he realizes if he did, this would create a political crisis in Moscow. So the Russian army continues to advance. He said

recently to the generals that Russia's losing all interest in negotiations about Don Bass. That was what he said, because the Russians are soon going to take it over. I suspect the same will be true about Zaporosia-Herson region as well. Once these places all fall, which they will, then the demands inevitably are going to increase. I'm going to ask you something that I think I have to ask you, because I think my position may have changed a bit. And this is just speculation and a guess on our part, on everyone's part, because we don't really know the truth of it. But I want to go back to the drones towards Novgorod. I sit in one of my videos and we said on the Duran that Trump was shocked at this

and he probably had no idea that this was happening. Have you changed that position given what's happened in Venezuela? Yeah, I get it. And Maduro. And the narrative is that there was going to be a second phone call with Putin. That was agreed on and the Trump administration told Putin, wait, stay where you are. We're going to finish talking to, I believe it was the Europeans, Zelenskin, the Europeans,

and then we're going to brief you. And then, right then and there, the drones allegedly were in the direction of Putin's residency. Of course, as we said, Trump denies that they were targeting Putin's residency. They were targeting a place closed by. But still, I have to ask you the question. Have you changed your thoughts on that? And if so, if you have changed your thoughts or have some doubts, have some doubts about Trump not knowing or being shocked,

I'll ask you the follow-up question, and we'll end it on this point. Wouldn't this cause alarm for Putin and for the Kremlin that you have a president who is gunning for the world leaders, who's openly arresting or kidnapping or going after world leaders that he feels are hostile

to his, to his cause, to his interests. Well, you've asked me to talk about doubts. Now, the first point to say is, I have had doubts. I had doubts even before the Venezuelan thing. I, on balance, thought that Trump's saying that he didn't know about this. I assumed that that must be correct. But then we had all those articles in the New York Times about how the United States was running

the drone war, the CIA was running the drone wars against Russia and was selecting the targets in Russia. And it seemed to be an extraordinary coincidence that all of these stories came out just directly after the drone attack on Novgorod. And it looked as if somebody in the United States might be trying to take ownership of this and might be telling Trump, look, you've got to give us cover. I have to say, that was one thought. And I do want to straight. again. These are thoughts, I don't know. I had another thought as well, which is an even more cynical one. And I can't actually, of course, obviously confirm this. But I just wanted to make the point. Because one of the things that I found most strange about this whole affair is Usherkov's

tone when he spoke about this particular. event. Phelphrin being angry, as I might have expected, he seemed, if anything, somewhat amused, rather cheerful about it. And the thought did cross my mind, because something else, by the way, we know that Putin wasn't in Valdai at that residence when the attack two plays. he was actually in the Kremlin. I wonder whether the Russians told the Americans when the call happened between Putin and Trump that Putin was in Valdon and whether this was done in part to see what happened. I just say this.

Well, to see if Trump was going to double cross that. Exactly, exactly, exactly. Now, let me stress this is pure speculation. I mean, but you asked me about my... doubts and my innermost thoughts, so I'm talking about this. It would be very consistent with Ushakov's whole tone and reaction. And by the way, I should just also add, another interesting thing about the last couple of days is that Putin has gone completely to ground. It is the Christmas period in Russia, Christmas in Russia is on the 7th of January, not on the 25th of

December. So there's reasons why he might have vanished. But you do you? is a bit strange all the same. Anyway, I wonder whether, as I said, this wasn't a test to see what the Americans would do if they were told that Putin was in a particular place waiting in a particular location. Just saying, anybody who says, by the way, that these sort of things don't happen and anybody who says that the Russians don't do these sort of things, I have a bridge to sell them. I'm not telling them that this is what happened. I'm simply saying that it's the kind of to think that I can imagine might have happened. That's what I would say.

So yes, I think that possibly this was an assassination attempt. Well, it was clearly an assassination attempt, but possibly someone in the United States was involved. After all, they were publishing all those stories about the drones, heading for Putin's resident, about the CIA involvement in the drones. after the story that the drones attacked Putin's residence was circulating. And as I said, you have Ushikov's reaction, which, as I said, did puzzle me at the time, and has puzzled me ever since.

Bear in mind, the Russians know that it is the Americans who are providing the targeting information. Everyone knows. Everybody knows. Everybody knows it. So it's not a stretch to imagine that the Russians might have said. said, oh, yeah, of course. We'll wait for your call. Putin is Valdai. You know, he'll wait there. He'll be there for a couple of hours. We're waiting for your call. And then the Russians

wait and sit. Because he wasn't actually in Valdi. So my follow-up question was, does this amend how Putin deals with Trump? Well, this is the, we're now pining on one speculation on top of another. But if that speculation holds true. Yeah, okay. And even if it doesn't, I just want to add a parentheses, even if it doesn't, just the revelation that drones were heading close to the vicinity of the residency of the president is concerning to me. Even if the CIA is saying the truth, even if Trump is saying the truth, and they are admitting that they sent drones, that drones were sent to an area nearby the residency of the president of Russia. That's very, very concerning. Well, can I just say straight away. Straight away, straight away. And I think this is a, actually, it's a good point. And I think it's an important point. If there was some other target in Novgorod, they would have said what it was. They've never identified another target in Novgorod. I mean, it was a military base or an intelligence center or a training center of some kind or an energy complex. They would have been able to say straightforwardly what that military.

target was. They've never done so. And that leads me to think that no such target exists, which leads me to think that the CIA and the Trump administration and probably Donald Trump himself know perfectly well what was being attacked. So I just wanted to say this. I've no doubt that this is what happened. And by the way, the American admission that there was an attack on a facility close to Putin's residence in Novgorod. By the way, I mean, the other thing it did is it completely undercut the Ukrainian story and the European story and the one that was all over the media in Europe. This whole affair never happened and never happened and was entirely invented by the Russians.

It's almost as if the Americans are telling the Russians that we know what we know that you know and we're not really going to deny it properly. We're going to pretend it wasn't you, but you know that we know that it was, and we know that you know that it was. I mean, you know, all of that. It has that kind of look to me about this. Now, as I said, what are the Russians going to say?

Now, that brings us back to who made the decision to leave, assuming my speculation is correct, leak this false information about Putin's whereabouts. If it was Putin, if Putin was testing Trump, it would be very interesting. And it would show that Putin doesn't really trust Trump. And he set Trump a test and Trump failed a test. Alternatively, if it was someone else, if it was someone within. the entourage, Putin's entourage, they might have been doing this in order to point out to Putin. Look, this is the man you are trying to negotiate with. You see what he does to you.

Even as you're talking to him, he's trying to kill you. So how can you trust him? How can you conduct negotiations with him? So again, we don't know. We don't know if the Russians did leak this information about Putin's supposed whereabouts to the Americans. And by the way, this can be done in all kinds of ways. I mean, Putin might have told Trump, I'm in Valdon. Or alternatively, it could have been done, you know, that the call was simulated as if it was being carried out from Valdi. I do know that these sort of things can be done. But I suspect I think it is more likely that such a thing would have been done with Putin's knowledge and consent.

And I repeat again, he's lying low for the moment. He's been invisible. He said nothing about Venezuela, for example. He didn't speak to Gonzalez, the new leader of Venezuela, Lavrov did. And I wonder whether there are discussions underway in Moscow that are connected to this event. Yeah, well, when Putin lies low, look out. Exactly. Yeah, when Putin goes silence, something big is coming.

Exactly. Yeah, and everything you just said, it's a thousand times worse, given that we've now seen Trump do what he did to Maduro. right? If that scenario is as you described it, a test for Trump and he failed, then the fact that a couple of days later, he does something similar to Maduro, I mean, well, you know, Putin and the Kremlin just must be saying, okay, we told you so. There, there it is. As we thought, he cannot be trusted. Exactly. Exactly. Anyway, let me stress again. Let me stress again. These are speculations. But you did ask me ask me about. You did ask me about. my doubts. I was thinking a lot about this over the last couple of days. And anyway, there's a lot of talk about it and a lot of different analysis and speculation. That's why I think it's worth discussing. And I think it's very much worth discussing, given what we know of what happened in Venezuela. I mean, I think there is a connection there.

I mean, there's a similarity in a connection with what happened in Russia and what actually did happen in Venezuela. Well, Venezuela and the attack on the Hamas. negotiators in Qatar and the attack on Iran and all of these things. Yeah, okay. We'll end the video there. The durand.locals.com. We're on X-Ran rumble. We're on Telegram.

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