Vladimir Putin vowed that Russia “will never back down” in his New Year’s address, as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is approaching its two-year anniversary and casualties continue to mount on both sides of the conflict.
In an attempt to reassure a war-weary nation, strongman Vladimir Putin put on a brave face as he addressed his people on New Year’s Eve, promising that Russia will overcome the issues that face it, presumably including the stagnating war in Ukraine and the economic challenges posed by Western sanctions.
“We have proven time and time again that we can solve even the most difficult problems, and we will never back down, because there is no such force that can divide us, makes us forget the memory and faith of our fathers, to stop our development,” Putin said according to state news agency TASS.
“We are one country, one big family. We will ensure the confident development of the Fatherland, the well-being of our citizens, we will become even stronger. We are together. And this is the most reliable guarantee of the future of Russia,” he continued.
The address from Putin came amid increasing warnings about the Ukraine war’s impact on the Russian military, with Britain’s Ministry of Defence claiming on Saturday that the average daily number of Russian casualties rose by nearly 300 during 2023. Should the casualty rate remain consistent over the next year, Russia will have lost over half a million military personnel, according to the UK intel assessment.
The briefing also predicted that Russia will need between five and ten years to build back up a significant stock of well-trained and experienced military units, with the current military developing into a “low quality, high quantity mass army”.
In response to the high number of casualties, estimated to be over 300,000, rare protests have taken place in Russia over the past month, with mothers and wives demanding an end to the conscription of their sons and husbands.
While there are growing strains on Russia, Putin is likely in a stronger position than at the start of the year, having successfully faced down the attempted rebellion by Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin as well as his military forces successfully blocking the much-vaunted “Spring counteroffensive” from Ukraine.
The failure of the counteroffensive to recapture any meaningful amount of Russian-occupied territory, mounting casualties, and several high-profile corruption scandals have led to a growing crisis of confidence among Ukraine’s financial backers in the West.
Despite persistent lobbying efforts for more cash, weapons, and military equipment from President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyiv is facing a financial crunch in the coming months, with further funding from both the United States and the European Union currently in limbo as Republicans in D.C. have so far blocked President Biden’s demands for an additional $63 billion in aid and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán blocking Brussels from sending another €50 billion.
However, although war fatigue appears to be setting in across the board, it does not appear that either side is willing to back down and come to the negotiating table, with both Russia and Ukraine reportedly preparing to launch new campaigns in the new year to add hundreds of thousands of men to their ranks.
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