Russians have been told by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that their president is ruining their nation.
Mr. Zelensky claimed that Vladimir Putin was hiding behind his troops rather than leading them after the Russian president delivered a New Year’s address flanked by military personnel.
Following a day of horrific attacks across Ukraine, Zelensky predicted that the Ukrainian people would not forgive Russia.
In the attacks, at least one person killed and numerous more were hurt.
Just hours into the new year on Sunday, more rocket attacks were reported on Kyiv, according to officials. There were no reports of casualties right away.
Valerii Zaluzhny, the commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, reported that 12 out of 20 Russian cruise missiles were destroyed on Saturday by air defenses.
Two days had passed since one of the biggest airstrikes since the conflict began before the attacks. Numerous attacks in recent weeks have resulted in numerous power outages.
Although Mr. Putin recently acknowledged bombing vital energy facilities, Moscow has consistently denied targeting civilians.
In a speech on his Telegram channel, Mr. Zelensky referred to those responsible for the attacks on Saturday as cruel.
He then criticized Mr. Putin in Russian after switching to Ukrainian.
He explained, “Your leader wants to demonstrate to you that his military is supporting him while he leads from the front.”
But he is actually running away. Behind his armies, his missiles, and the walls of his mansions and castles, he is hiding.
He is torching your nation and your future while he hides behind you. You will never be forgiven for your terror. You will not be pardoned by anyone in the entire globe. Ukraine will not be tolerant.
Later, Mr. Zelensky thanked the Ukrainian people in a new year’s message for their “amazing” resistance against Russian advances.
“The entire nation and all of our regions fight together as one team. I’m proud of you all. I want to appreciate all of Ukraine’s unbeatable regions,” he stated.
Additionally, Mr. Putin delivered a message for the new year that was broadcast in all 11 time zones of Russia in 2023.
The Russian president attempted to mobilize support for his countrymen fighting in Ukraine by stating that the future of the nation was at risk.
“We always knew, and today it is reaffirmed to us yet again, that a sovereign, independent, and secure future for Russia depends solely on us, on our strength, and on our will,” said a defiant Mr. Putin.
He asserted that “moral, historical rightness is on our side” and justified the invasion of Ukraine’s sovereign territory by saying it was done to “protect our people and our historical regions.”
Additionally, Mr. Putin said that the West had “provoked” Moscow into beginning its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
“The West made up facts about peace. It was getting ready to launch an attack, and now they are cunningly utilizing Ukraine and its people to destabilize and splinter Russia, he claimed.
Russia’s assertions regarding the beginning of the aggression are denied by the West and Ukraine.
