(Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Rostec State Corporation CEO Sergei Chemezov during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Russia’s “united society” in his prerecorded New Year’s address to the nation, the country’s state news agencies reported Sunday. Returning to tradition after speaking flanked by soldiers last year, Putin delivered his address to the nation against the backdrop of a snowy Kremlin. In remarks carried by RIA Novosti, he described 2023 as a year marked by high levels of unity in Russian society. Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council and former Russian president, also congratulated Russians on the New Year.

Source: ABC News December 31, 2023 20:43 UTC