“For years the elites of the West hypocritically assured us of their peaceful intentions,” the Russian president said in his speech
Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that his country will never succumb to Western efforts to use Ukraine as a means to destroy Russia.
In a video New Year’s message aired on Russian state television, Putin said Russia was fighting in Ukraine to protect the “motherland” and to ensure “true independence” for its people.
In his nine-minute message — his longest New Year’s message in his 20-year tenure — Putin accused the West of lying to Russia and provoking Moscow to carry out its “special military operation,” such as he calls her, in Ukraine.
“For years the Western elites hypocritically assured us of their peaceful intentions,” the Russian president said in his speech, which was filmed in front of Russian soldiers at the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District.
“In fact, in every possible way they encouraged the neo-Nazis who openly carried out terrorism against civilians in Donbas,” Putin said in an unusually aggressive New Year’s address, which is usually limited to New Year’s wishes.
Earlier today, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu vowed victory for Russian forces in Ukraine was “inevitable” as he praised the heroism of Russian soldiers.
“The West lied about peace. It was preparing for aggression…and now it is cynically using Ukraine and its people to weaken and divide Russia. We have never allowed this and we will not allow anyone to do it to us.” , Putin says in his video message, which was broadcast by Russian state news agencies.
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