Star Metro - Putin wishes Russians victory in Ukraine in New Year speech

The almost four-year offensive in Ukraine has come at a huge human cost, with military deaths on both sides believed to be in the tens, or even hundreds, of thousands.

Putin devoted much of his short address to "fighters and commanders" in Ukraine. He did not mention an alleged Ukrainian drone attack on one of his residences which Kyiv has denied, calling the claim an attempt to derail a stumbling US-led peace process.

During the diplomatic rush to end Europe's worst conflict since World War II in recent weeks, Putin has consistently told Russians, that the military intends to seize the rest of Ukrainian land he has proclaimed as Russian by force if talks fail.

Addressing soldiers, whom he called "heroes", Putin said: "We believe in you and our victory."

Putin's traditional speech was first aired in the far-eastern Kamchatka peninsula -- the first Russian region to enter 2026.

December 31 marks 26 years since Putin came to power.

Russia -- which now occupies around a fifth of Ukraine -- has hit its smaller neighbour with an almost daily barrage of missiles and drones that have killed thousands of Ukrainian civilians and displaced millions.

Moscow has consistently hit Ukrainian energy and other civilian infrastructure -- forcing days-long power cuts in freezing temperatures.

In Vyshgorod, a town outside Kyiv, residents left without power for several days due to Russian bombing told AFP the strikes had made their lives "hell".

- Russia doubles down on Putin home claim -

US-led diplomacy to end the war has gained pace in recent weeks, with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky expected to attend a January 6 summit in France with allies, after holding talks with US President Donald Trump in Florida.

But Russia has shown no sign of dropping its maximalist demands in Ukraine.

The European Union accused Moscow on Wednesday of trying to "derail" negotiations with its claim this week that Kyiv tried to attack Putin's residence in north-west Russia.

Moscow made the accusation shortly after Zelensky held talks with Trump and Kyiv has already called it a "fabrication" intended to "manipulate" the peace process.

The Kremlin accused Ukraine of launching dozens of drones at Putin's lakeside residence in the Novgorod region -- between Moscow and Saint Petersburg -- on the night of December 28.

Moscow on Wednesday published video of a drone it said Kyiv had sent toward the residence.

Russia has called it a "terrorist attack" and a "personal attack" against Putin, saying it will toughen its negotiation stance in Ukraine war talks.

The video, shot at night, showed a damaged drone lying in snow in a forested area. The defence ministry said the alleged attack was "targeted, carefully planned and carried out in stages."

Putin has not publicly commented on the attack -- aside from the Kremlin saying he had informed Trump about it in a call -- and Moscow has not said where the Russian leader was at the time.

Putin's residences and private life are shrouded in secrecy in Russia.

M.Anderson--SMC