KYIV, Ukraine, Dec 31, 2023 (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed in his New Year’s address Sunday to wreak “wrath” against Russian forces in 2024, despite what he said were attempts to “undermine” support for Kyiv.
His message came less than 72 hours after Moscow launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Ukrainian cities, killing 39 people in one of the biggest aerial attacks since the war began.
“Next year, the enemy will feel the wrath of domestic production,” Zelensky said in his televised address, which featured clips of Ukrainian artillery and fighter jets.
Ukraine will have at least “a million” additional drones in its arsenal next year, Zelensky added, as well as F-16 fighter jets delivered by its Western partners.
“Our pilots are already mastering F-16 jets, and we will definitely see them in our skies,” he said, “So that our enemies can certainly see what our real wrath is.”
With the war now entering its third calendar year, Zelensky has urged his Western allies to keep up support amid increasing signs of fatigue with the conflict.
“Ukrainians are stronger than any intrigues, any attempts to diminish global solidarity, to undermine the coalition of our allies,” Zelensky cautioned in his message.
Despite billions of dollars’ worth of Western weapons, Ukraine struggled to make a major breakthrough in its 2023 counteroffensive against invading Russian forces.
Moscow has meanwhile ramped up pressure along the frontlines, capturing the eastern town of Marinka earlier in December and pushing for control of Kupiansk in the northeast.
Russian President Vladimir Putin did not broach the war in Ukraine during his New Year’s Eve address, which was noticeably scaled back compared to last year’s.
