The leaders of Ukraine and Russia have each used their New Year speeches to promise victory in 2023, despite painting contrasting pictures of the ongoing war.
Key points:
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised the return of Ukrainian land annexed by Russia
- Vladimir Putin claimed “moral, historical righteousness” is on Russia’s side in his address
- Almost a year after invading, Russian troops have been forced out of more than half the territory they initially claimed
While Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, spoke of gratitude and pain, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, urged duty to Russia, painting the war as a near-existential fight.
Mr Zelenskyy — recalling some of the most dramatic moments and victories of the war — filled his emotional, 17-minute video message with footage of Russia’s attacks on the country and words of pride for Ukrainians withstanding attacks, darkness and cold.
“We were told: ‘You have no other option but to surrender’. We say: ‘We have no other option than to win’,” he said, dressed in his trademark khaki outfit and standing in darkness with the Ukrainian flag fluttering behind.
“We fight as one team — the whole country, all our regions. I admire you all.”
A few minutes after Mr Zelenskyy’s speech — released just before midnight, Kyiv time, on New Year’s Eve — numerous blasts were heard in the capital and around the country.
The attacks followed a barrage of more than 20 cruise missiles fired across Ukraine on Saturday — and many bombardments earlier.
As the war drags into its 11th month, Moscow was unprepared for the staunch resistance and billions of dollars in Western weaponry that have turned the tide in Ukraine’s favour.
Russian troops have been forced out of more than half the territory they took in the first weeks of what Mr Putin has called a “special military operation” to “de-nazify” and demilitarise Ukraine.
Kyiv and Western allies say Mr Putin’s invasion was a land grab.
Putin invokes ‘sacred duty’ in New Year’s message
Mr Putin — breaking with tradition by delivering his New Year message flanked by troops rather than the Kremlin’s walls — talked sternly and combatively about 2022 as the year that “clearly separated courage and heroism from betrayal and cowardice”.
While trying to rally support among Russians amid embarrassing battlefield setbacks and growing internal criticism of his military strategy, Mr Putin thanked Russian troops, but he also demanded more from them.
“The main thing is the fate of Russia,” he said, dressed in a dark suit and tie.
“Defence of the fatherland is our sacred duty to our ancestors and descendants. Moral, historical righteousness is on our side.”
Russia had planned a swift operation but, with the war dragging on, it has been forced to put society on more of a war footing, calling up more than 300,000 reservists, retooling an economy hurt by Western sanctions and saying publicly that the conflict may be long.
Reiterating that the West is supposedly intent on “destroying Russia” by using Kyiv, Mr Putin vowed he would never allow that.
He signalled, once again, that the war, albeit hard, would continue.
“We have always known — and, today, we are again convinced — that the sovereign, independent, secure future of Russia depends only on us, on our strength and will,” he said.
‘Impossible to forgive’ in fight to regain annexed Ukraine
Mr Zelenskyy promised the return of lands Moscow proclaimed it had annexed in September.
“It’s impossible to forget. And it’s impossible to forgive. But it’s possible to win,” he said.
While listing Ukraine’s successes, Mr Zelenskyy referred to the Crimean Bridge, Moscow’s symbol of the annexation of the peninsula that linked it with Russia and that was heavily damaged by an explosion in October.
While Mr Putin immediately blamed Kyiv for orchestrating the powerful blast, Ukraine had not previously claimed responsibility for it — nor any other attacks inside Russia, since Russia’s February 24 invasion.
“This year has struck our hearts. We’ve cried out all the tears. We’ve shouted all the prayers,” Mr Zelenskyy said.
“We fight and will continue to fight. For the sake of the key word: ‘Victory’.”
Reuters