Excerpts from President Vladimir Putin’s remarks during his visit to Vishnevsky Central Military Clinical Hospital (January 1, 2024)

–  The situation on the battlefield is changing. This is despite the fact that the entire “civilised” West is fighting us. <…>

–  The most important thing we have is, of course, the unity of our people and society, because there is an understanding of how important the job you are doing on the battlefield is in the armed struggle for our country and our future. <…>

• The problem is not with Ukraine, but with those who are trying to destroy Russia using Ukraine. That is the problem. But they will fail: it is simply out of the question.

–  The realisation is starting to dawn on them, and the rhetoric is changing: those who were talking just yesterday about the need to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia are now looking for the right words on how to quickly end the conflict.

–  We also want to end the conflict, as quickly as possible, but only on our terms. We have no desire to fight endlessly, but we are not going to cede our positions either.