Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy honoured his folks’s resilience in instances of bloodshed in a protracted and lyrical New Yr speech, whereas Russian chief Vladimir Putin harassed his nation’s unity in a brief and stern message that made solely passing reference to the battle.
The speeches – conventional December 31 messages in each Russia and Ukraine – got here as each nations marked the tip of the yr with elevated air assaults on one another’s territories. However neither facet can level to any main frontline achievements in 2023.
“The most important results of the yr, its major achievement: Ukraine has develop into stronger,” Zelenskyy mentioned in a televised deal with interspersed with footage of cities beneath assault and conferences with leaders of Ukraine’s Western allies.
Mentioning “battle” 14 instances in his 20-minute message, Zelenskyy additionally vowed, similar to a yr in the past, {that a} free Ukraine would prevail.
“Irrespective of what number of rockets the enemy launches, regardless of what number of shellings and assaults – vile, cruel, huge – the enemy carries out in an try to interrupt Ukrainians, intimidate, knock Ukraine down, drive it underground, we are going to nonetheless rise,” he mentioned, wearing his trademark khaki outfit.