Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday (Dec 31) vowed to use the New Year 2025 to end Russia's nearly three-year-long invasion of his country. This comes as, in a historic first, a Ukrainian drone shot down a Russian helicopter. 

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Zelensky's vow

Addressing his war-battered nation at the end of a difficult year, Ukraine's President Zelensky said, "May 2025 be our year".

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He said that while "we know that peace will not be given to us as a gift," the country will "do everything to stop Russia and end the war."

Zelensky said that in 2024, Ukraine had to continue to fight to gain the upper hand on the battlefield and to get ahead of any prospective peace talks, and the conditions that will come with that.

"Every day in the coming year, I, and all of us, must fight for a Ukraine that is strong enough," he said.

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"Because only such a Ukraine is respected and heard, both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table," added the Ukrainian leader.

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In 2024, as per an AFP analysis, Kyiv lost seven times more territory to Moscow than it did in 2023. 

Zelensky also addressed US President-elect Donald Trump's looming inauguration and said that he has "no doubt that the new American president is willing and capable of achieving peace and ending (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's aggression."

With Trump's return, Ukraine faces the possibility of a reduction in its military and aid budget. Trump has previously referred to the military aid being sent to Kyiv as a drain on US resources.

Ukraine's 'historic first' aerial attack against Russia

Ukraine's military intelligence service in a post on Telegram and X posted a video of what it said was a "historic first," as its forces used an attack drone to bring down a Russian air target.

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Posting a video of the strike, the intelligence service said: "Historic strike - GUR soldiers destroyed an air target for the first time in the world using a Magura V5 naval drone".

Watch the video here:

While Ukraine's drone boats have engaged Russian helicopters using machine guns, this is the first successful use of surface-to-air missiles. The Magura V5 naval attack drone, as per reports, is one of Ukraine's most advanced drone boats or Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) equipped with missile weapons.

(With inputs from agencies)