Zelensky vows 2023 is ‘12 months of victory’ for Ukraine in new 12 months video tackle

Volodymyr Zelensky has mentioned his “one want” for 2023 is victory for Ukrainians within the conflict towards Russia.

The Ukrainian president delivered the video tackle wearing his trademark khaki navy fatigues, simply earlier than welcoming the brand new 12 months in his war-torn nation.

“I need to want all of us one factor – victory. And that’s the principle factor. One want for all Ukrainians,” he mentioned.

The previous 12 months has been devastating for Ukraine after Vladimir Putin launched his invasion on February 24.

The Russian president has peddled the narrative that he has embarked upon a “particular navy operation” to “denazify” Ukraine.

The worldwide neighborhood has broadly denounced Mr Putin’s aggression, taking continued measures to withstand his offensive by imposing financial sanctions upon the nation in addition to corporations and chosen people related to the Kremlin and the president.

Regardless of the wide-sweeping condemnation and political strain to cease the invasion, Mr Putin has continued to assault Ukraine.

What Moscow was not anticipating, nonetheless, was for Ukraine to remain standing 10 months later, leaving gaping holes in Russia’s offensive with rising velocity and energy.

And so forth this observe, Mr Zelensky vowed: “Let this 12 months be the 12 months of return. The return of our individuals. Troopers to their households. Prisoners to their properties. Emigrants to their Ukraine. Return of our lands,” Mr Zelensky mentioned.

“The return of what has been stolen from us. The childhood of our youngsters, the peaceable outdated age of our mother and father.”

His message got here as assaults have been carried out on New Yr’s Eve in Kyiv and different areas of Ukraine, which have left hundreds of thousands with out energy.

At the very least one particular person was killed and 14 others hospitalised as a number of blasts rocked Kyiv and different areas of Ukraine on Saturday.

Some Ukrainians defied the hazard, nonetheless, to return to the nation to reunite with households for the brand new 12 months‘s vacation.

Ukrainian officers claimed Russia was intentionally focusing on civilians, looking for to create a local weather of worry to see out a grim 2022 and usher in a bloody new 12 months.

First Girl Olena Zelenska expressed outrage that such missile assaults might come simply earlier than New Yr‘s Eve celebrations.

“Ruining lives of others is a disgusting behavior of our neighbours,” she mentioned.

Mr Zelensky revealed the video tackle shortly after Russia launched New Yr‘s Eve cruise missiles over Ukraine, which mentioned that Mr Putin was “hiding behind the navy, behind missiles, behind the partitions of his residences and palaces”.

Addressing the Russians, he added that “nobody on the planet will forgive you for this. Ukraine is not going to forgive”.