Russian President Putin reiterated the cause of the invasion of Ukraine on New Year's Eve and pledged victory.
In his New Year's address, which was released immediately after the indiscriminate bombing of major cities in Ukraine, he raised a glass of champagne and offered a toast to celebrate the war.
In his New Year's address, which aired on the 31st local time, President Putin argued that the "moral and historical legitimacy of the war in Ukraine lies with Russia."
It reiterated the argument that the war was a military operation to protect those living with a Russian identity in territories that have historically belonged to Russia.
Britain's The Times pointed out that the 9-minute New Year's address released on this day is the longest New Year's speech that President Putin has given in the past 20 years.
Standing in the background of several soldiers in military uniform, Putin reiterated that the war, which has been going on for more than 10 months, is just.
“Russia is protecting people in our historic territory,” he said.
Russia has been using the liberation of the Donbas region of Ukraine from pro-Russian separatist forces as a justification for the invasion.
President Putin also reiterated that this war is fundamentally a confrontation with the West, including the United States, and that Russia is winning in it.
"The West is using Ukraine and its people to weaken and divide Russia," he said.
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President Putin said Western attempts to isolate Russia had failed.
He went on to say that "2022 has been a year full of truly important and fateful events", he even raised a glass of champagne with a number of soldiers and women standing around him.
The New Year's address was released shortly after Russian forces launched airstrikes across Ukraine on the last day of 2022.
(Photo = Kremlin Palace website capture, Yonhap News)