Ukraine War: Nothing is normal in Russia on new year

• It was an important year for Russia’s move toward full independence.
• Russia is fighting for its independence and sovereignty in this war.
• President Putin used the speech to push the Kremlin’s version of events.

The national anthem of Russia is played.

Then, Channel One TV starts 2023 off with a popular song: “I’m Russian, and I’ll go as far as I can…

To spite everyone, I’m Russian.”

Next on the (patriotic) Top of the Pops: “I was born in the USSR, I was made in the USSR!”

I change channels. At the New Year’s party for Russia-1, one of the station’s best-known war correspondents is holding a glass of champagne and wishing for “more good news than bad from the front line” in 2023.

Men in army uniforms are sitting next to him. A Russian-appointed official from the part of Ukraine that Russia controls says: “I hope we all find peace. But peace won’t come until after we win.”

You get what I mean. This year, Russian TV’s holiday specials are a strange mix of partying and winning on the battlefield.

This is not what most Russians watch on TV on New Year’s Eve. Still, this is not a typical New Year’s Eve. Ten months ago, when Russia invaded Ukraine in a big way, “normal” stopped being a thing.

Vladimir Putin’s New Year’s speech to the Russian people was anything but “normal.” The president usually stands alone in front of the Kremlin when he gives his annual speech. This year, men and women dressed as soldiers stood behind him.

In his speech from last year, the head of the Kremlin said, “New Year’s Eve is literally full of good cheer and happy thoughts.”

This time, it was hard to find good cheer and happy thoughts.

President Putin used the speech to push the Kremlin’s version of events, which is that Russia is the hero in this conflict and Ukraine and the West are the bad guys.

“Western elites lied to us for years about how peaceful they wanted to be.

But in reality, they helped the neo-Nazis in every way they could “What Putin said was.

“We owe it to our ancestors and our children and grandchildren to protect our Motherland.”

Remember that Russia invaded Ukraine when the Kremlin talks about “defending our Motherland.” Not in the other direction.

The President of Russia says that his country has gotten a lot out of the dramatic events of 2022: “It was an important year for Russia’s move toward full independence.”

“We build the basis for our shared future and our real independence.”

The idea that Russia is fighting for its independence and sovereignty in this war is, to say the least, strange.

First of all, Russia has been a sovereign, independent country for a long time. Even if you agree with Vladimir Putin that Russia has never had “full sovereignty,” the question still remains: why? Mr. Putin has been in charge for 23 years. You might think that’s long enough to figure that out.

In his New Year’s address, President Putin also separates Russians into those who support his “special military operation” and those who don’t.

The leader of the Kremlin said, “It was a year that put many things in their place and made it clear where courage and heroism end and betrayal and cowardice begin.”

In 2023, the Kremlin is likely to make this line even more clear. For the “special military operation,” the Russian government has used all of the country’s resources.

There is no room for debate or discussion, because the government wants everyone to support the president. People will make Russians who don’t feel like they’re betraying their Motherland.

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