2023-12-31 15:59:42
Russian President Vladimir Putin assured Sunday that his country would “never back down” after having “firmly defended” its interests in 2023, in his New Year’s speech, without explicitly mentioning Ukraine.
“We have proven time and again that we can solve the most difficult tasks and that we will never back down because no force can divide us,” he said on television.
Tribute to soldier “heroes”
Even if Vladimir Putin did not directly mention the conflict in Ukraine, which began almost two years ago, he made several allusions to it, for example paying tribute to the soldiers, “our heroes”.
But unlike last year, when the president appeared flanked by soldiers in uniform, this time he proclaimed that the year 2024 would be that of the “family”, in front of the traditional background of the Kremlin.
Russia “in a historic phase”
In 2023, “we firmly defended our national interests, our freedom and our security, our values,” he said in this speech broadcast first in the Russian Far East, taking into account the difference in time zones with Moscow.
The president assured that Russia, which is experiencing “a historic phase”, would be “even stronger” next year. During his wishes last year, Vladimir Putin assured that “moral and historical correctness” was “on the side” of Russia.
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