The year 2023 will be the year of “victory” in the war against Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proclaimed on Saturday in his New Year’s greetings.
“Longing for faith and hope? Both have been in the (Ukrainian) Armed Forces for a long time […] Want light? It is in all of us, even when there is no electricity”, the supply of which is severely disrupted by massive Russian bombardments., said in particular in his message on Telegram Mr. Zelensky. “Good year ! The year of our victory“.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his part, affirmed on Saturday, for his New Year wishes, that “moral and historical correctness” was “on the side” of Russia.
On this 311th day of war in Ukraine, the fighting is not slowing down. Russia’s increasing use of drones due to a depletion of missile stocks, according to the Institute for the Study of War. All 10 Iranian-made suicide bomber drones launched by the Russian military were reportedly shot down yesterday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.
In Mariupol, a port city targeted from February 24, the count of victims differs from one camp to another: according to Russia, the fighting killed 3000 civilians when on the side of kyiv counted rather tens of thousands of civilian lives lost.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his desire to strengthen military cooperation with China, during a meeting via videoconference with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. A desire for rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing as Russia faces heavy Western sanctions because of its offensive against Ukraine.