Russian President Vladimir Putin (pictured) praised the efforts of the nation's military in his customary New Year speech on Friday, December 31. However, he did not directly refer to the conflict in Ukraine.
"To all those who are on duty, on the front line of the fight for truth and justice. You are our heroes. Our hearts are with you. We are proud of you, we admire your courage," Putin noted in a televised speech from the Kremlin.
The speech is broadcast right before midnight in all 11 time zones of Russia and typically includes a recap of the previous year's events and well wishes for the upcoming year. Putin also emphasized that Russia will "never back down."
