RUSSIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday his country would never give in to the West鈥檚 attempts to use Ukraine as a tool to destroy Russia.
In a New Year鈥檚 video message broadcast on Russian state TV, Putin said Russia was fighting in Ukraine to protect its 鈥渕otherland鈥� and to secure 鈥渢rue independence鈥� for its people.
In a nine-minute message 鈥� the longest New Year鈥檚 address of his two-decade rule 鈥� Putin accused the West of lying to Russia and of provoking Moscow to launch what it calls a 鈥渟pecial military operation鈥� in Ukraine.
鈥淔or years, Western elites hypocritically assured us of their peaceful intentions,鈥� he said in a speech filmed in front of Russian service personnel at the headquarters of Russia鈥檚 southern military district.
鈥淚n fact, in every possible way they were encouraging neo-Nazis who conducted open terrorism against civilians in the Donbas,鈥� Putin said in an uncharacteristically combative New Year鈥檚 speech, usually dedicated to well wishes for the year ahead.
Earlier on Saturday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had vowed victory in Ukraine was 鈥渋nevitable鈥� as he praised the heroism of Russian soldiers fighting on the frontlines and those who had died during the 10-month war.
鈥淭he West lied about peace,鈥� Putin said. 鈥淚t was preparing for aggression ... and now they are cynically using Ukraine and its people to weaken and split Russia.
鈥淲e have never allowed this, and will never allow anybody to do this to us,鈥� Russian state-run news agencies quoted Putin as saying in the clip, which was broadcast at midnight in Russia鈥檚 far east.
Kyiv and the West reject Moscow鈥檚 claims over the start of the conflict and say Putin launched a baseless war of aggression in a bid to seize territory and topple Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.