Russia's New Year Just Got Off to the Worst Possible Start

Only days into 2023, Russia has already faced significant obstacles and may face further struggles as January continues.

A New Year's Eve evening attack by Ukraine has resulted in deaths of multiple Russian soldiers, according to the Ukrainska Pravda, a Ukrainian newspaper. Some 400 Russian troops were killed and a further 300 injured, the report said, citing Ukraine's armed forces.

Russia has acknowledged that the strike took place, but its figure regarding casualties was significantly lower. Russian state news agency Tass, citing the country's defense ministry, said 63 Russian soldiers were killed in the attack.

"The Kyiv regime struck with six rockets of the U.S.-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system at the temporary deployment point of one of the units of the Russian armed forces," the statement read. The strike happened in Makiivka, the report said, in a Russia-controlled part of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region.

Newsweek has not been able to independently verify either Ukraine or Russia's official figures.

In addition, Russia may soon be facing new economic struggles, according to a tweet by Iikka Korhonen, who heads the Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies, about Russian stock indices.

The RTS, an index of 50 Russian stocks on the Moscow Exchange, was down 39 percent, Korhonen said. Oil and gas was down 34 percent, consumer goods and services down 32 percent, and financials down 44 percent, the figures showed.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has recently bragged about the success of his armed forces as well as the difficulties experienced by their Russian counterparts.

In a video address on New Year's Day, he said: "Russian terrorists were pathetic and they entered this year staying the same. Our defenders were awesome and on January 1 they showed themselves very well."

"You know, these days it was clearly seen how far we have moved away, mentally, humanly from what Russia is 'boiling' in," he said. "Our sense of unity, authenticity, life itself, all this contrasts dramatically with the fear that prevails in Russia."

"They are afraid. You can feel it and they are right to be afraid. Because they are losing. Drones, missiles, anything else will not help them. Because we are together and they are together only with fear," Zelensky said.

"They will not take away a single year from Ukraine, they will not take away our independence," he said.

Russia's foreign ministry did not return Newsweek's request for comment.