Putin urges Russians to join war against Ukraine and expresses confidence in "victory" in New Year address

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has used his New Year address to justify Russia's aggression against Ukraine, rally the population to support the war, and express confidence in his "victory".

Source: Putin's New Year address

Details: Putin devoted much of his speech, which lasted just 3 minutes and 20 seconds, to the participants of the so-called "special military operation" (the Kremlin's term for the war against Ukraine). He brazenly claimed that the Russian forces invading the territory of a sovereign state are "fighting for truth and justice".

Putin spoke of nationwide support for the war and suggested that all Russians are "with the soldiers in spirit".

He made no mention of the negotiation process, signalling that Russia intends to continue its military campaign.

Quote: "You have taken on the responsibility of fighting for your homeland, for truth and justice… We believe in you and in our victory. We are one great family… [We will] move forward for the sake of our children and grandchildren, for the sake of our great Russia."

Details: While Putin goes on about "successes" and "unity", the reality on the battlefield for the Russians looks rather different. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, total Russian losses (killed and wounded) had reached 1.2 million by 31 December 2025.

Even Russian journalists relying solely on open-source data have confirmed the names of over 155,000 Russian soldiers killed as of mid-December.

Background:

• Despite claiming that it is willing to negotiate, the Kremlin continues to plan military operations years ahead.
• At a Russian Defence Ministry meeting on 16 December, Putin threatened to ramp up the offensive if Ukraine did not surrender.
• On 31 December, Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov outlined Putin's plans to expand the so-called "buffer zone" in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts in 2026, indicating an intent to continue targeting Ukraine's civilian population.

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