How Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky view Ukraine war for 2024
Hindustan TimesRussian leader Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have both held press conferences wrapping a difficult year of fighting in Ukraine and laying out military objectives for 2024. Many in Moscow expected Russia to quickly capture Kyiv in 2022, but nearly two years later -- and with Russian elections approaching -- a bullish Putin used the stage last week to promise "victory will be ours". But Putin praised Russian troops for "improving" their positions along most of the front and observers say Moscow's troops were making gains towards Avdiivka, a war-battered industrial hub in the east. Zelensky said that Ukraine's military had scored "a big victory" on the Black Sea, where Kyiv has launched successful strikes on Russian warships and secured maritime trading routes.