MOSCOW, December 31. /TASS/. On Saturday, President Vladimir Putin congratulated Russians on the New Year standing among the military at the headquarters of the Southern military district and not at the backdrop of Kremlin as usual. He stressed that the outgoing year was the time of difficult but necessary decisions and assured that Russia will remain "great and independent."
During the day, it also became known about the liberation of the Dorozhnyanka settlement in the Zaporozhye region, the return of 82 Russian soldiers from Ukrainian captivity, as well as new explosions on Ukrainian territory.
TASS collected the main information about the today events around Ukraine.
Putin’s Address
Putin addressed Russian citizens not in front of the Kremlin, but from the headquarters of the Southern Military District, standing next to the military. This New Year's address was the longest for the head of state - it lasted nine minutes.
The head of state stressed that the outgoing year was a time of "difficult, necessary decisions, major steps towards gaining full independence of Russia." He expressed confidence that the "sovereign, independent, secure future" of the country depends only on its inhabitants.
The West has been lying for years about its peaceful intentions, but in fact it was preparing for aggression, and "today it admits it openly, no longer embarrassed," the President noted. He thanked the servicemen and assured that the authorities would do everything to help the families of the fallen participants in the military operation.
On Saturday, Putin presented a state award to Sergey Surovikin, the general in charge of Russia's military operation in Ukraine. Surovikin was awarded the Order of St. George, third class, for his courage, bravery and dedication. Mikhail Teplinsky, commander of the Russian Airborne Troops, received the Order of St. George, 4th class from the Russian President.
Defense Minister’s statement
The outgoing year "will forever enter the military chronicle of the Fatherland," Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said in his New Year's greetings to the military. He thanked the servicemen for their courage and heroism in the performance of military duty, wished them "great health, fortitude, reliable and devoted comrades and, of course, clear skies." "Our victory, like the New Year, is inevitable!" Shoigu noted.
Air raid alert in Ukraine
On Saturday afternoon, an air raid alert was announced throughout Ukraine, which lasted more than four hours.
The Ukrainian edition Strana reported on explosions in Kiev and the Kiev region, as well as Nikolaev and in the part of the Zaporozhye region controlled by Ukraine. In the Ukrainian capital one person was killed and twenty more were injured, according to the city mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
Exchange of prisoners
After negotiations Ukraine released 82 Russian soldiers, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. The released will undergo treatment and rehabilitation in departmental medical institutions.
The Defense Ministry last reported on the exchange of prisoners on December 1, when 50 people were returned.
Operation progress
The Russian troops liberated the village of Dorozhnyanka in the Zaporozhye region, the Defense Ministry reported. According to ministry estimates, the Ukrainian side lost up to 50 people killed and 10 pieces of equipment.
The ministry also reported on the continuation of the offensive in the Donetsk direction with the use of aviation, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems. In a day, the Ukrainian armed forces lost up to 80 people killed and nine pieces of equipment.
According to the ministry, the losses of Ukrainian armed forces in the directions of the Kupyansk and Krasny Liman are estimated at almost 200 people and 21 pieces of equipment, including five tanks. In addition, the ministry reported strikes on three points of deployment of foreign mercenaries in the area of Krasny Liman and Chervona Dibrova.
As a result of the counter-battery fight, the Ukrainian military lost a HIMARS multiple rocket launcher and two Grad combat vehicles, four M777 artillery systems and two self-propelled howitzers, the Russian ministry said. Also, two Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopters were shot down over the Donetsk People's Republic, the ministry said.