Morning Brief: Trump Warns Drug-Producing Nations, Delcy Rodríguez Assumes Interim Presidency, North Korea Tests Hypersonic Missiles

Trump Says Ukraine Did Not Target Putin Residence, Rejects Kremlin Drone Claim US President Donald Trump said Sunday that US officials determined Ukraine did not target a residence belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a reported drone attack last week, contradicting claims from Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had accused Ukraine of launching drones at Putin’s state residence in Russia’s Novgorod region, an allegation Kyiv denied. Trump said US intelligence found that while an incident occurred nearby, Putin’s residence was not targeted. Reporter: You said that you were really very angry with the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy if he was the one who conducted that strike on Putin’s residence. Trump: I don’t believe that strike happened. Reporter: Why did you believe Putin in that moment and then go say that about… pic.twitter.com/5j6A57DiyL — Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) January 5, 2026 The dispute emerged amid ongoing US-led efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine, shortly after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Trump in Florida to discuss a proposed peace framework. Trump initially expressed anger over the Russian claim but later downplayed it, aligning with European officials who said Moscow was attempting to undermine negotiations.   Delcy Rodríguez Assumes Interim Presidency as Venezuela Reels After Maduro’s Capture Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of interim president of Venezuela over the weekend after the country’s Supreme Court ruled that President Nicolás Maduro, captured by US forces in a nighttime operation, was temporarily unable to govern. The court’s decision, backed by the Venezuelan military, placed Rodríguez, Maduro’s longtime vice president and closest ally, at the head of the government amid deep uncertainty. The transition unfolded as US President Donald Trump said Washington would pressure Venezuela to accept US terms, while also confirming that US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, had communicated with Rodríguez. Initially defiant, Rodríguez later struck a conciliatory tone and offered to collaborate with the United States under international law. 🚨NEW: Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez has issued a public message to the U.S. and the world calling for peace, dialogue, and non-interference, amid escalating tensions with Washington. Rodríguez said Venezuela seeks “peaceful coexistence” without external threats… https://t.co/PbqjIUmHic pic.twitter.com/1Xo7kbUlnV — Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) January 5, 2026 Her rise comes at a critical moment for Venezuela’s political future, with questions over how long she will remain in power, whether elections will be held, and how she will navigate relations with Washington while maintaining support from the ruling party and the military.   Cuba Says 32 Officers Killed in US Military Operation in Venezuela Cuba said Sunday that 32 of its military and police officers were killed during a US military operation in Venezuela over the weekend, marking the first official death toll released by Havana. Cuban officials said the officers were deployed in Venezuela at the request of its government, a longtime ally, though their specific mission was not disclosed. Cuba says 32 of its combatants were killed in the US military operation, which Washington describes as a “large-scale strike” 🕯️ Havana declares two days of mourning after the operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro https://t.co/KCubC6dJgn — Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 5, 2026 The deaths occurred during a US operation that seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife for prosecution on US narco-terrorism charges. US President Donald Trump acknowledged Cuban casualties but said no American forces were killed, while Venezuelan officials confirmed fatalities without providing numbers. Cuba declared two days of national mourning as US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, reiterated claims that Cuban personnel played a central role in supporting Maduro’s security apparatus.   Drone Strikes Kill Two as Ukraine War Continues Ahead of Paris Peace Talks Two people were killed Sunday in Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian border regions as diplomatic efforts to end the war intensified ahead of talks in Paris. Russian officials said a drone strike in the Belgorod region killed one person and wounded two others, including a child, while another strike killed a resident in a village in the Kursk region. In Ukraine, authorities reported three people wounded in overnight drone attacks in the Kharkiv region, and officials raised the death toll from a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv on Friday to five. Russian attack against #Ukraine killed at least 2 people & injured 3 others women in a civilian clinic of #Kyiv.”2 of them are in serious condition. 1 man who was undergoing treatment at the medical facility died”, mayor said. About 70 people were inside at the time of the attack pic.twitter.com/exHZEZwJEE — The Ukrainian Week / Tyzhden (@ukr_week_en) January 5, 2026 The attacks came as European and allied national security advisers met in Kyiv to discuss security guarantees and economic support, part of a US-led push to end the nearly four-year war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has shared peace proposal documents with partners and plans meetings in Paris this week with European and US representatives to advance negotiations.   Saudi-Backed Forces Retake Yemen’s Mukalla After Separatist Withdrawal Saudi-backed forces regained control of Mukalla, the capital of Yemen’s Hadramout province, on Sunday after days of Saudi airstrikes forced southern separatists to withdraw, Yemeni officials and residents said. The National Shield Forces, aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, deployed across the port city and surrounding areas, including the airport, following the retreat of the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council, which had seized the city last month. Al Jazeera has obtained exclusive footage of forces of the internationally-recognised gov’t arriving in Yemen’s Hadramout province. The Saudi-backed forces secured the provincial capital of Mukalla after fighting with the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council. pic.twitter.com/P2f3FjvHLr — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 4, 2026 The takeover comes amid escalating tensions within the Saudi-led coalition as Saudi Arabia moves to curb separatist advances while continuing to fight Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The fighting underscores Yemen’s fractured conflict, where rival factions backed by regional powers compete for territory and influence more than a decade into the civil war. Saudi Arabia has since called for talks in Riyadh to bring together southern factions in an effort to stabilize the region and restore government authority.   Syria, Kurdish-Led Forces Hold Talks on Army Merger but Make No Progress Syrian government officials met Sunday in Damascus with the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to discuss plans to merge the group into the national army, but the talks produced no concrete results, state media reported. The meeting involved SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and focused on implementing a March agreement that calls for the US-backed force, which controls much of northeastern Syria, to integrate into the military by the end of 2025. Syrian gov’t officials have held talks with the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces over plans to merge it with the national army, state media reported, adding that no “tangible results” had been achieved https://t.co/Y1ecmyp3oA pic.twitter.com/PvcrDTIew9 — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 4, 2026 Disputes persist over whether the SDF would remain a unified formation or be dissolved and absorbed individually, an issue complicated by Turkish opposition to the group’s role. The sides agreed to hold further talks as Syria’s interim government seeks to reassert control over borders, oil fields, and Islamic State detention facilities amid ongoing security tensions.   Chinese Coast Guard Sets New Record Near Disputed Senkaku Islands Chinese Coast Guard vessels sailed near the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands a record 357 times last year, marking the fourth consecutive year of increased activity amid rising tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. Japan’s Coast Guard said Chinese ships entered the contiguous zone around the uninhabited islands on 355 occasions in 2024 and sailed into Japan’s territorial waters 27 times, with several incidents involving Chinese vessels chasing Japanese fishing boats. The activity occurred in waters east of Taiwan and west of Okinawa, an area claimed by China and Taiwan and believed to contain oil and other resources. Japanese officials said the growing frequency and duration of Chinese patrols underscore an increasingly severe and unpredictable security environment. While China kept violating Japan’s waters near the #SenkakuIslands in 2012, the Japan Coast Guard responded decisively by physically removing illegal Chinese vessels from its EEZ. A clear message: intimidation won’t be tolerated. @harukaawake @ga_richardson @ShineShadowNews… pic.twitter.com/wdJS0Aj1fv — Nguyen Thi hong (@NguyenThih36) December 29, 2025 China maintains its actions are lawful, while Japan has pledged heightened surveillance to protect its territorial waters as broader regional tensions escalate over Taiwan and China’s expanding military posture.   North Korea Tests Hypersonic Missiles as Kim Pushes Nuclear Deterrence Ahead of Party Congress North Korea said Monday that leader Kim Jong Un observed test flights of hypersonic missiles, emphasizing the need to strengthen the country’s nuclear war deterrent ahead of a major ruling party conference. The tests took place Sunday and were reported a day after South Korea and its neighbors detected multiple ballistic missile launches, which they condemned as provocations. State media said the drill aimed to assess readiness, improve missile unit capabilities, and evaluate the effectiveness of North Korea’s war deterrent. North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised a Hypersonic Missile Launching Drill on Sunday. During the exercise, hypersonic missiles were launched from Ryokpho District, Pyongyang, flying to the northeast before successfully striking designated targets 1,000 km… pic.twitter.com/UnC2Xb4iQK — OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) January 4, 2026 The launches occurred hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed for China for talks with President Xi Jinping, where North Korea’s nuclear program is expected to be discussed. Analysts say Pyongyang is showcasing weapons advances to reinforce its security posture and influence diplomacy amid heightened regional tensions and renewed global focus on US military actions abroad.   Sources: News Agencies