HM Intelligence Updates

U.S. President Donald J. Trump announces the successful capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in an operation tonight in Venezuela’s capital of Caracas. I found this out live whilst filming a podcast update on the situation.... CRAZY! #hm #hmintelligence

Reports and video claim that U.S. Army AH-64 Apache attack helicopters are conducting strikes on Fort Tiuna in Caracas, a major military installation in Venezuela. The information is based on early claims and circulating footage, and there has been no official confirmation. #hm #hmintelligence

Reports and footage claim that nine U.S. AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters were seen flying over Caracas, with observers noting that the Venezuela military does not operate Chinooks. Based on this, some commentators have speculated that the United States may be conducting a military operation or invasion, though there is no official confirmation and the claims remain unverified. #hm #hmintelligence

Footage from Higuerote Airport in northern Venezuela shows a powerful explosion followed by secondary blasts and an intense fire, indicating that a military asset was likely hit. The pattern of the explosions has led analysts to suggest the incident may have involved a strike on a surface-to-air missile launcher operated by the Venezuelan Air Force, though no official confirmation has been provided. #hm #hmintelligence

Crazy story! Ukrainian military intelligence reported that Denis Kapustin, commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), is alive after a month-long counterintelligence operation that thwarted an alleged assassination ordered by Russian special services. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (GUR), Russia had allocated roughly $500,000 for Kapustin’s elimination, but the plot was uncovered, the perpetrators identified, and the funds ultimately diverted to support Ukraine’s special forces. During a briefing, GUR chief Kirill Budanov congratulated Kapustin and the unit involved, calling the operation a humiliation for Russian intelligence. Kapustin, also known as White Rex, confirmed he is now in Ukraine and ready to resume command of the RVC, stating that his temporary absence did not affect the unit’s combat effectiveness. Budanov praised the Timur Special Forces team for successfully executing the operation and reinforcing Ukraine’s ongoing efforts. #hm #hmintelligence

A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone went down in central Afghanistan’s Maidan Wardak Province. Officials have not confirmed whether the crash resulted from enemy fire or technical failure. #hm #hmintelligence

Thousands of people have staged a second day of protests in Tehran, as anger grows over Iran’s worsening economic crisis. Merchants and shop owners blocked streets, shut businesses, and called for a nationwide strike, according to eyewitnesses cited by the Associated Press. The demonstrations have been driven largely by the collapse of Iran’s currency, with the rial hitting a record low of 1.42 million to the U.S. dollar on December 28, alongside soaring inflation that has pushed food prices up 72% and medicine prices up 50% over the past year. Protesters reportedly chanted slogans calling for the return of the shah, while parts of Tehran’s Grand Bazaar joined the strike. Security forces responded with tear gas and water cannons, as officials sought to downplay the crisis. Deputy Interior Minister Ali Akbar Pourjamshidian blamed the currency collapse on psychological factors and warned against “enemy incitement,” while authorities cautioned that protesters would face prosecution. #hm #hmintelligence

President Donald Trump has claimed that the United States carried out its first-ever land strike against Venezuela, saying the military targeted a drug facility that was destroyed in a massive explosion. #hm #hmintelligence

Today in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, a military tank experienced a mechanical malfunction while traveling on a public road, drawing attention from nearby civilians and temporarily disrupting traffic. #hm #hmintelligence

China has reportedly disguised mobile DF-series intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers to resemble civilian construction equipment, specifically cranes produced by Zoomlion, as a means of concealment and deception. Zoomlion is a prominent Chinese manufacturer of construction, agricultural, and environmental machinery, and using vehicles that visually match its widely recognized cranes could allow military missile launchers to blend into ordinary industrial activity, making them harder to detect and track. #hm #hmintelligence

China released its first official video of the “Justice Mission 2025” live-fire military drills around Taiwan, scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on December 30. #hm #hmintelligence

Türkiye has achieved a major breakthrough in drone warfare as two Bayraktar KIZILELMA unmanned fighter jets successfully flew in autonomous close formation, marking a historic milestone in AI-powered air combat and the evolution of next-generation unmanned aerial systems. #hm #hmintelligence

Arseniy Konovalov, a former Russian consulate official in Houston, was sentenced to 12 years in a high-security penal colony and fined 100,000 rubles for treason, accused by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) of attempting to sell classified material to U.S. intelligence. Konovalov, who served as second secretary at the Russian Consulate in Houston from 2014 to 2017, allegedly contacted U.S. intelligence while on a long-term assignment and provided classified information in exchange for payment. He was arrested in March 2024, and the footage of his detention shows him being informed of the charges while seated in a vehicle. The sentence, announced on December 26, 2025, has not yet come into effect, and his case is considered one of the most significant diplomatic breaches in recent years. #hm #hmintelligence

Numerous drones have hit civilian buildings in Kyiv overnight/early morning. Early reports indicate that at least 5 civilians have been injured. #hm #hmintelligence

The U.S. has released a video of USS Paul Ignatius launching Tomahawk missiles on ISIS camps in Nigeria on Christmas Day in response to the Islamist attacks against Nigerian Christians. In a statement Trump said the United States carried out a major military strike against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria, claiming the operation was ordered by him as Commander in Chief in response to the group’s killings of Christians. He described the strikes as highly successful, warned of further action if attacks continue, reaffirmed opposition to radical Islamic terrorism, and praised the U.S. military while issuing a Christmas message. #hm #hmintelligence