Amid the United States’ efforts to put an end to the conflict, the Russian president called on his citizens to ‘support the heroes’ fighting in the neighboring country
The President of Russia, , stated in his New Year’s speech this Wednesday (31) that his country believes in victory in Ukraine, where it launched a large-scale offensive four years ago. Amid the United States’ efforts to put an end to the conflict, the Russian president called on his citizens to “support the heroes” fighting in the neighboring country. “We trust in you and in our victory”, he assured in his speech broadcast on the Kamchatka peninsula, the easternmost region of Russia and the first to enter 2026.
He also wished a happy New Year to the “fighters and commanders” in Ukraine: “Millions of people across Russia, believe me, are thinking of you,” he said. This is the fourth Russian New Year since the beginning of this offensive, which has a high human cost. Military casualties on both sides are estimated to be in the tens or hundreds of thousands.
December 31st also marks the 26th anniversary of Putin’s rise to power. He became president of Russia on New Year’s Eve 1999, when Boris Yeltsin resigned. The televised New Year’s speech is a holiday tradition in Russia, started by Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, which millions of people watch from their homes and is broadcast on state television just before midnight.
*With information from AFP
