Putin: Russia will "never retreat"
Russia's Far East is already in the New Year. Shortly before midnight, the population can listen to President Putin's New Year's address: He declares 2024 the "Year of the Family" and promises that Russia will become "even stronger".
In his New Year's address, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for unity and perseverance among the Russian people. Russia had "fiercely defended" its interests in 2023, the Kremlin leader said in his televised address. "We have shown more than once that we can solve the most difficult tasks and never back down, because there is no force that could divide us." He did not explicitly mention Ukraine.
The 71-year-old head of state expressly thanked the Russian soldiers: they were on the front line in the fight "for truth and justice", as the Kremlin leader reinterpreted his attack on Ukraine. Unlike last year, there were no military representatives in uniform at Putin's side during the speech; instead, he declared 2024 the "Year of the Family": Russia is going through a "historic phase" and will be "even stronger" next year, Putin assured the audience. "We are one country, one big family. We are working for the confident development of our homeland, for the well-being of our citizens."
The New Year's address was first broadcast in Russia's Far East, when the Chukotka and Kamchatka peninsulas welcomed the New Year. It will then be shown shortly before midnight in every other time zone in the giant empire until it is the capital Moscow's turn at 10 p.m. CET.
For the Russians, it is the second New Year's Eve in the war against neighboring Ukraine ordered by Putin. The day before the New Year, the Russian civilian population suffered major casualties for the first time, with more than 20 people killed in the border town of Belgorod. Putin did not address this in his speech against the backdrop of the wintry Kremlin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also denied to the RIA Novosti agency that the text of the pre-recorded speech had been changed again.
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In light of the ongoing situation, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not directly mention Ukraine in his New Year's address, despite Russia's involvement in an attack on Ukraine. He continued to assert Russia's strength and unity, declaring 2024 as the "Year of the Family" and assured Russians that the country would become "even stronger."
Source: www.ntv.de
