Putin praises Russian unity in his New Year's speech as war marks celebrations

Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Russia's united society in his pre-recorded New Year's address to the nation, state news agencies reported on Sunday.

Putin addressed the Russians in a video that lasted less than four minutes, considerably shorter than the New Year's speech he gave last year, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. Millions of people were expected to watch the new speech when it airs on TV, as every Russian time zone counts down the final minutes of 2023 on Sunday.

The first to see it were residents of the Kamchatka Peninsula and Chukotka region in Russia's Far East, about nine hours before Moscow.

Returning to tradition after delivering a speech last year flanked by soldiers, Putin delivered his address to the nation against the backdrop of a snowy Kremlin. In comments carried by RIA Novosti, he described 2023 as a year marked by a high level of unity in Russian society.

What united and unites us is the fate of the homeland, a deep understanding of the highest significance of the historical phase that Russia is going through, the President said. He also praised the solidarity, mercy and steadfastness of Russian citizens.

The nearly two-year-old war in Ukraine was the focus of the speech, with Putin directly addressing Russian forces involved in what the Kremlin has called its special military operation in the neighboring country.

We are proud of you, you are heroes, you feel the support of the entire people, the president said. According to state media, he emphasized that Russia would never withdraw and claimed that there was no force that could divide Russians and stop the country's development.

The broadcast of the speech comes a day after shelling in the center of the Russian border city of Belgorod killed 24 people on Saturday, including three children. Another 108 people were injured, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Sunday, making the attack one of the most casualties on Russian territory since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine began 22 months ago.

Like last year, New Year's celebrations in Moscow were toned down and the traditional fireworks and concert on Red Square were canceled. After the shelling in Belgorod, local authorities in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok and other places in Russia also canceled their usual New Year's fireworks.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council and former president of Russia, also congratulated Russians on the New Year. In video comments on Telegram, he said that the thoughts and hearts are with those at the front and that the past year had required special stability and unity and true patriotism from Russia.

Medvedev also called on Russians to make 2024 the year of the final defeat of neo-fascism, repeating Putin's claims that he would invade Ukraine to fight neo-Nazis.

The Holocaust, World War II and Nazism have been important rhetorical tools for Putin in his attempt to legitimize Russia's military actions in Ukraine, but historians see their use as disinformation and a cynical ploy to achieve his goals.

Analysts largely describe 2023 as a positive year for Putin.

It was a good year; In fact, I would call it a great year for the Russian leader, says Mathieu Boulegue, a consulting fellow for the Russia-Eurasia program at the Chatham House think tank in London.

Moscow won the battle for the bombed Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in May after the longest and bloodiest battle of the war. In June, Putin defused an uprising against him and cemented his grip on the Kremlin. A Ukrainian counter-offensive against Russia started with high expectations, but ended in disappointment.

As he heads into 2024, Putin is betting that the West's support for Ukraine will gradually erode due to political divisions, war fatigue and other diplomatic demands, such as China's threat to Taiwan and the war in the Middle East.

Putin is seeking re-election in the March 17 presidential election, which he will almost certainly win. Thanks to the constitutional reforms he orchestrated, the 71-year-old leader will be eligible for two more six-year terms after his current term expires, potentially keeping him in power until 2036.

First print: December 31, 2023 | 8:46 PM IST