MOSCOW, Dec 31 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin used his annual televised New 12 months’s tackle to rally his troops preventing in Ukraine, saying he believed in them and in victory in a conflict that he has framed as a part of an existential wrestle with the West.
U.S. President Donald Trump is making an attempt to dealer an finish to the almost four-year-old battle, Europe’s bloodiest conflagration since World Battle Two, with each side’ negotiating stances nonetheless far aside.
Wearing a black coat, Putin – whose forces are advancing slowly however steadily in Ukraine – spoke about Russia’s future and the unity of its folks, which he mentioned assured the sovereignty and safety of the “Fatherland”.
MIKHAIL METZEL by way of Getty Photographs
He paid tribute specifically to his forces preventing in Ukraine, calling them heroes.
“Tens of millions of individuals throughout Russia — I guarantee you — are with you on this New 12 months’s Eve,” mentioned Putin.
“They’re pondering of you, empathising with you, hoping for you. I want all our troopers and commanders a cheerful coming New 12 months! We imagine in you and our Victory!”
His speech, which was first broadcast in Russia’s far east, got here as Russia launched video footage of what it mentioned was a downed drone, presenting it as proof that Ukraine had tried this week to assault a presidential residence. Kyiv has dismissed Russia’s allegation as a lie designed to derail peace talks.
In one other video launched on Wednesday, Russia’s prime normal advised troops to maintain carving out buffer zones in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv areas and mentioned Moscow’s forces had superior sooner in December than in some other month in 2025.
Reuters couldn’t confirm his battlefield assertion.
(Reporting by Reuters Writing by Andrew Osborn Enhancing by Kevin Liffey)
