President Vladimir Putin said Russia believed it would win in Ukraine in an address on Wednesday, December 31st, as his country marked another New Year at war.
The almost four-year offensive in Ukraine has come at a huge human cost, with military deaths on both sides believed to be in the tens, or even hundreds, of thousands.
Putin devoted much of his short address to “fighters and commanders” in Ukraine. He did not mention an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on one of his residences, which Kyiv has denied, calling the claim an attempt to derail a U.S.-led peace process.
During the diplomatic rush in recent weeks to end Europe’s worst conflict since World War II, Putin has consistently told Russians that the military intends to seize the rest of Ukrainian land he has proclaimed as Russian by force if talks fail.
Addressing soldiers, whom he called “heroes,” Putin said: “We believe in you and our victory.”
Russia—which now occupies around a fifth of Ukraine—has hit its smaller neighbour with an almost daily barrage of missiles and drones that have killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians and displaced millions.
U.S.-led diplomacy to end the war has gained pace in recent weeks, with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky expected to attend a January 6 summit in France with allies, after holding talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida.
Russia has shown no sign of dropping its demands in Ukraine.
