00:00Russian President Vladimir Putin has praised soldiers fighting in the war in Ukraine on
00:06the eve of the third anniversary of the start of the conflict.
00:10In a video message released for the annual Defender of the Fatherland Day, Putin referred
00:15to Russian service personnel as the main heroes.
00:18He said they were risking their lives to defend Russia and its national interests.
00:23Putin also pledged greater support for military personnel and new weapons and equipment for
00:28the front line.
00:29In a ceremony in Moscow, he presented medals to soldiers who have fought in Ukraine.
00:35Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched partly from Russian territory and
00:39partly from Belarus in 2022.
00:42Last year, The Wall Street Journal estimated that 250,000 people had been killed in Ukraine
00:47and 800,000 others wounded.
00:50Almost four million people have been internally displaced inside Ukraine and more than six
00:54million refugees have been recorded globally.
00:59For more UN videos visit www.un.org
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