Putin Voices Confidence In Victory In Ukraine In His New Year Speech

Last Updated:December 31, 2025, 23:52 IST

Vladimir Putin urged Russian unity and praised troops in his New Year's address amid Ukraine conflict, while Moscow's drone attack claims were rejected by Kyiv and others.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (File)

Russian President Vladimir Putin this year used his televised New Year’s address to encourage his troops fighting in Ukraine, saying he believed in them and in victory.

Reuters reported that Putin, dressed in a black coat, spoke about Russia’s destiny and the unity of its people, which he said guaranteed the sovereignty and security of the “Fatherland".

He said: “Millions of people across Russia — I assure you — are with you on this New Year’s Eve. They are thinking of you, empathising with you, hoping for you. I wish all our soldiers and commanders a happy coming New Year! We believe in you and our Victory!"

The speech was released as Russia released a video footage reportedly of a downed drone, showing it as an evidence that Ukraine had tried to attack a presidential residence earlier this week.

Moscow had alleged that the attack took place on the night of December 28-29, with the drone being shot down in a forested area. However, Kyiv has strongly rejected the accusation, calling it a “lie" and labelling the claims as part of a Russian attempt to “manipulate" the peace process.

The video, released by Russia’s defence ministry, shows the damaged drone lying in snow. The ministry described the incident as a “targeted, carefully planned" attack that had been “carried out in stages."

Russian officials have said the UAV was part of a mass drone launch aimed at Putin’s residence. However, they claimed that the home was not damaged during the attack, and the whereabouts of Putin during the alleged strike were not revealed.

The timing of Russia’s claims coincided with talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump in Florida. Moscow’s accusations have been widely dismissed by Kyiv and other international observers, including the European Union, which has described the video as an attempt to derail peace efforts and negotiations aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.

In another video released on Wednesday, Russia’s top general told troops to keep carving out buffer zones in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions and said Moscow’s forces had advanced faster in December than in any other month in 2025, Reuters reported.

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