In his New Year's address today, marking the 25th anniversary of his inauguration, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Russia's successes during his time at the helm, Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA.
"In a few minutes, 2025 will come, which will mark the end of the first quarter of the 21st century (...) We still have a lot of work to do, but we can be proud of what we have achieved, it is our common capital for future development“, he said in his traditional address to the nation, in which he only briefly alluded to the conflict in Ukraine.
Putin described Russia as an independent, free and strong country that has managed to cope with the most difficult challenges.
"We are sure that everything will go well, that we will only move forward", the Russian president stressed.
Putin succeeded Russian President Boris Yeltsin as Russia's leader on December 31, 1999. Since then, the strongman in the Kremlin has emphasized that he has turned Russia back into a great power, capable of competing with the West, and that he has restored the honor of Russians after the humiliation of the collapse of the Soviet empire, AFP recalls.
In his speech, Putin congratulated the soldiers on the front, and this was the only mention of the war in Ukraine - the most serious conflict in Europe since World War II. "On New Year's Eve, the thoughts and hopes of families and friends, millions of people across Russia, are with our fighters and commanders," he said.
He did not mention Russia's economic difficulties, which have been hit by high inflation and signs of a slowdown in growth - problems fueled by the conflict in Ukraine and Western sanctions.
Putin also pointed out that 2025 would mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany - a central element in Russian discourse on national greatness, as the Kremlin considers the USSR to be the main architect of the Allied victory in 1945, AFP also noted.