President Vladimir Putin praised his country’s achievements in a New Year’s Eve speech Tuesday, saying Russians should be “proud” of what Russia had done during his quarter century in power.The address, delivered exactly 25 years since he took over from predecessor Boris Yeltsin, did not explicitly mention the nearly three-year conflict in Ukraine and focused mostly on wishes for the year ahead.For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.“Dear friends, in just a few minutes 2025 will be ushered in, completing the first quarter of the 21st century,” Putin said in the televised remarks.“Yes, we still have a lot to decide but we can be rightfully proud of what has already been done,” the Kremlin chief added, saying the 25 years had paved the way for “further development”.He also praised Russia’s soldiers, a theme echoed in his previous New Year’s addresses since his full-scale military assault on Ukraine began in February 2022.“On this New Year’s Eve