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The leaders of Ukraine and Russia both vowed to push for victory in New Year speeches, but while Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of gratitude and pain, Vladimir Putin urged duty to Russia, casting the war as a near-existential fight.

Zelensky, recalling some of the most dramatic moments and victories of the war, filled his emotional 17-minute video message with footage of Russia鈥檚 attacks on the country and words of pride for Ukrainians withstanding attacks, darkness and cold.

鈥淲e were told: you have no other option but to surrender. We say: we have no other option than to win,鈥� said Zelenskiy, dressed in his trademark khaki outfit and standing in darkness with the Ukrainian flag fluttering behind.

鈥淲e fight as one team 鈥� the whole country, all our regions. I admire you all.鈥�

A few minutes after Zelensky鈥檚 speech 鈥� released just before midnight Kyiv time on New Year鈥檚 Eve 鈥� numerous blasts were heard in the capital and around the country. The attacks followed a barrage of more than 20 cruise missiles fired across Ukraine on Saturday 鈥� and many bombardments earlier.

As the war drags into its 11th month, Moscow was unprepared for the staunch resistance and billions of dollars in Western weapons that have turned the tide in Ukraine鈥檚 favor.

Russian troops have been forced out of more than half the territory they took in the first weeks of what Putin calls a 鈥渟pecial military operation鈥� to 鈥渄enazify鈥� and demilitarize Ukraine. Kyiv and Western allies say Putin鈥檚 invasion was a land grab.

鈥楩ate of Russia鈥�

Putin, breaking with tradition by delivering the New Year message flanked by troops rather than the Kremlin鈥檚 walls, talked sternly and combatively about 2022 as the year that 鈥渃learly separated courage and heroism from betrayal and cowardice.鈥�

While trying to rally support among Russians amid embarrassing battlefield setbacks and growing internal criticism of his military strategy, Putin thanked Russian troops, but he also demanded more from them.

鈥淭he main thing is the fate of Russia,鈥� Putin, dressed in a dark suit and tie, said. 鈥淒efense of the fatherland is our sacred duty to our ancestors and descendants. Moral, historical righteousness is on our side.鈥�

Russia had planned a swift operation, but with the war dragging on it has been forced to put society on more of a war footing: calling up more than 300,000 reservists, retooling an economy hurt by Western sanctions and saying publicly that the conflict may be long.

Reiterating that the West is supposedly intent on 鈥渄estroying Russia鈥� by using Kyiv, Putin vowed he will never allow that. He signaled once again, that the war, albeit hard, will continue.

鈥淲e have always known, and today we are again convinced that the sovereign, independent, secure future of Russia depends only on us, on our strength and will,鈥� he said.

Annexed

Zelensky promised the return of lands Moscow proclaimed it had annexed in September.

鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to forget. And it鈥檚 impossible to forgive. But it鈥檚 possible to win,鈥� he said.

While listing Ukraine鈥檚 successes, Zelensky referred to the Crimean Bridge, Moscow鈥檚 symbol of the annexation of the peninsula that linked it with Russia and that was torn by an explosion in October.

While Putin immediately blamed Kyiv for orchestrating the powerful blast, Ukraine had not previously claimed responsibility for it 鈥� or any other attacks inside Russia, since Russia鈥檚 Feb. 24 invasion.

鈥淭his year has struck our hearts. We鈥檝e cried out all the tears. We鈥檝e shouted all the prayers,鈥� Zelensky said.

鈥淲e fight and will continue to fight. For the sake of the key word: 鈥榲ictory鈥�.鈥�

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