<p>Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said victory for Russia over Ukraine was "inevitable" as he hailed Russian soldiers' heroism in a New Year's video message.</p>.<p>Moscow's defence chief, who has been heavily criticised by pro-war voices in Russia for battlefield failures during the 10-month campaign, said the situation on the frontlines remained "difficult" and lambasted Ukraine and the West for trying to contain Russia.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/putin-tells-xi-he-wants-to-ramp-up-military-cooperation-1176489.html" target="_blank">Putin tells Xi he wants to ramp up military cooperation</a></strong></p>.<p>"We meet the New Year in a difficult military-political situation," Shoigu said. "At a time when there are those who are trying to erase our glorious history and great achievements, demolish monuments to the victors over fascism, put war criminals on a pedestal, cancel and desecrate everything Russian."</p>.<p>With bloody fighting ongoing across the 1,000-km (600-mile) frontline, and Russia not having secured any territorial gains since the first months of the war, Shoigu told Russian soldiers: "Victory, like the New Year, is inevitable."</p>.<p>Shoigu also praised the "immortal actions, selfless courage and heroism" shown by Russian troops fighting what he called "neo-Nazism and terrorism".</p>.<p>Kyiv and the West have rejected Russia's assertion it is fighting "Nazis" in Ukraine as a baseless pretext for President Vladimir Putin's attempt to seize territory and topple Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a war of unprovoked aggression.</p>.<p>Moscow had expected swift victory in what it calls a "special military operation", but Ukraine's spirited resistance and billions of dollars of Western arms have helped Kyiv turn the tide of the war and mount a series of stunning counteroffensives. Ukraine has now reclaimed more than half of the territory seized by Russia during the first weeks of its invasion.</p>
<p>Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said victory for Russia over Ukraine was "inevitable" as he hailed Russian soldiers' heroism in a New Year's video message.</p>.<p>Moscow's defence chief, who has been heavily criticised by pro-war voices in Russia for battlefield failures during the 10-month campaign, said the situation on the frontlines remained "difficult" and lambasted Ukraine and the West for trying to contain Russia.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/putin-tells-xi-he-wants-to-ramp-up-military-cooperation-1176489.html" target="_blank">Putin tells Xi he wants to ramp up military cooperation</a></strong></p>.<p>"We meet the New Year in a difficult military-political situation," Shoigu said. "At a time when there are those who are trying to erase our glorious history and great achievements, demolish monuments to the victors over fascism, put war criminals on a pedestal, cancel and desecrate everything Russian."</p>.<p>With bloody fighting ongoing across the 1,000-km (600-mile) frontline, and Russia not having secured any territorial gains since the first months of the war, Shoigu told Russian soldiers: "Victory, like the New Year, is inevitable."</p>.<p>Shoigu also praised the "immortal actions, selfless courage and heroism" shown by Russian troops fighting what he called "neo-Nazism and terrorism".</p>.<p>Kyiv and the West have rejected Russia's assertion it is fighting "Nazis" in Ukraine as a baseless pretext for President Vladimir Putin's attempt to seize territory and topple Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a war of unprovoked aggression.</p>.<p>Moscow had expected swift victory in what it calls a "special military operation", but Ukraine's spirited resistance and billions of dollars of Western arms have helped Kyiv turn the tide of the war and mount a series of stunning counteroffensives. Ukraine has now reclaimed more than half of the territory seized by Russia during the first weeks of its invasion.</p>