War in Ukraine: ‘We will never retreat,’ warns Putin in New Year’s speech

Nothing seems to stop him. Russian President Vladimir Putin assured in his New Year’s address this Sunday that his country will “never back down.” “We have proven more than once that we can solve the most difficult problems and will never retreat, because no force can divide us,” he said.

Although Vladimir Putin did not directly mention the conflict in Ukraine, which began almost two years ago, he made several allusions to it, such as paying tribute to the soldiers, “our heroes.” But unlike last year, when the president appeared surrounded by uniformed soldiers, this time he proclaimed that 2024 would be the year of “family,” against the traditional backdrop of the Kremlin.

In 2023, “we have firmly defended our national interests, our freedom and our security, our values,” he said in a speech broadcast first in the Russian Far East, taking into account the difference in time zones with Moscow.

“Historical stage” for Russia

The President confirmed that Russia, which is going through a “historical stage,” will become “even stronger” next year. During his oath last year, he said “moral and historical correctness was on the side” of Russia.

Two days earlier, the Kremlin launched a major series of strikes on several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, using a “record number of missiles” that killed at least 40 people and injured dozens more. “This is the most massive missile strike,” not counting the first days of the war, Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat admitted at the time.

At the same time, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the supply of 200 anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine to help it defend itself. He already believed then that these strikes showed that Vladimir Putin “will stop at nothing.” There was a retaliatory strike: on Saturday, Ukraine struck the city of Belgorod, killing 24 people.

Russia then stressed that it would not leave this missile attack “unpunished”: this Sunday it struck “military” targets in Kharkov. Local authorities, on the contrary, claim that these were civilian buildings.