In a New Year address, the Russian president described the prior year as a sequence of decisive moments, noting that people faced those times with courage and dignity.
“The year 2022 is ending. It was a year when tough, necessary choices were made and where Russia moved toward greater sovereignty and stronger social cohesion. Our multinational population, as in all difficult periods of Russian history, demonstrated courage and honor. They backed the defenders of the Fatherland with both words and deeds. Our soldiers and officers. All participants in the special military operations,” the president stated in his congratulations.
He added that the year stood out for separating acts of bravery from treason and cowardice, showing that no force surpasses the power of loving family and friends, loyalty to comrades, and devotion to one’s homeland.
Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov later shared that the president visited the Southern Military District headquarters that morning, met with the district commander, and awarded new units with battle banners, orders, and medals to those who showed courage and heroism. Peskov also noted that the New Year speech was recorded at the Southern Military District headquarters in the presence of military personnel and would be broadcast across all time zones without further requests.
The fate of Russia is the central concern
Putin described the current reality as Russia defending its people within its historical lands. “The central question is the fate of Russia. Protecting the homeland is a sacred duty to our ancestors and to future generations,” he said. He also thanked participants in the NWO for their courage and expressed confidence that the country would overcome difficulties while preserving its independence and greatness. “We always knew, and today we are convinced, that the sovereign, independent, secure future of Russia depends only on us—the strength and the will of the people,” he stated.
The president expressed heartfelt sympathy for the families of fallen soldiers and noted that the authorities are fully committed to aiding those families.
For the land and for the truth
Putin congratulated all Armed Forces personnel and expressed gratitude for their service, stressing that all participants in the special operations are heroes. “Russian soldiers, militias, and volunteers are fighting for their homeland, for truth and justice, to ensure reliable peace and security guarantees for Russia. They are all our heroes, and the hardest challenges now lie before them.”
He extended New Year wishes to everyone involved in the NWO.
“Who stands with me now, who remains on the front lines and in training centers preparing for action, who is in hospitals, and who has already completed their duty, or who remains on combat duty in strategic units—every service member counts. All personnel of the armed forces,” Putin noted.
The president added that Western politicians have long claimed peaceful aims, including resolving the Donbass issue, but their real intent is to use Ukraine and its people to fragment Russia. He asserted that Russians will never allow the nation to be divided and that the sovereign future hinges on the will of the people. The country’s citizens were described as uniting to assist others without a formal mandate, illustrating this resolve.
Putin also framed Russia’s struggle for its future as a source of inspiration for other nations, even as sanctions campaigns intensified. He argued that despite attempts to destroy the country, Moscow’s defenses created a sufficient margin of safety. “Russia will remain great and independent, and it will move forward,” he concluded.
We do not yield in the year ahead
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Security Council, shared his reflections on the past year via the Telegram channel. He described the year as important, dramatic, and pivotal. Russia, he said, opened its doors to brothers and, crucially, opened its heart to them. He condemned the Kyiv regime for bombardment, massacres, blockades of Donbass residents, and the hatred toward Russia, recalling that the previous year carried the motto of perseverance. Medvedev insisted that the special operation aimed to end the criminal Nazi regime in Kiev and would achieve that objective. He praised the army’s role in the operation and expressed national pride in their efforts.
Nevertheless, he warned that the coming year would be challenging and that rivals would attempt to erode resolve. He remained confident that unity would prevail. “We are stronger because we stand together. The truth is with us, and victory is within reach. It will be ours,” he affirmed.