TheCable

Russian President Vladmir Putin has ordered a 36-hour ceasefire on the Ukrainian frontline from Friday.

The ceasefire, scheduled to start at 12pm Moscow time, will coincide with the Russian Orthodox Christmas traditionally celebrated on January 6 and 7.

In a statement on Thursday, Putin said the truce was offered after Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), made a call for a safe atmosphere for believers to attend Christmas services.

“Upon consideration of the address from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the defence minister of the Russian Federation to introduce a ceasefire along the entire line of contact in Ukraine from 12.00 on January 6, 2023 to 24.00 on January 7, 2023,” the statement reads.

“As a large number of Orthodox Christians reside in the area of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire to allow them to attend church services on Christmas Eve as well as on Christmas Day.”

Hours after Putin’s call, Ukraine rejected the request, citing scepticism of the Kremlin leader’s true intent.

In a series of tweets, Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian presidential adviser, described the offer as a “propaganda” gesture and a “cynical trap”.

He said there would be no “temporary truce” until Russian forces withdrew from all the areas they had occupied.

“First. Ukraine doesn’t attack foreign territory & doesn’t kill civilians. As RF does. Ukraine destroys only members of the occupation army on its territory,” he tweeted.

“Second. RF must leave the occupied territories – only then will it have a ‘temporary truce’. Keep hypocrisy to yourself.”

First. Ukraine doesn't attack foreign territory & doesn't kill civilians. As RF does. Ukraine destroys only members of the occupation army on its territory…
Second. RF must leave the occupied territories – only then will it have a "temporary truce". Keep hypocrisy to yourself.

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— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) January 5, 2023

Axiom: why will it be impossible to make a deal with RF?
RF (Putin) under the word "talks" offers 🇺🇦 & the world to recognize "its right to seize foreign territories" & "to fix the absence of legal consequences for mass killings on foreign territory".
It's fully unacceptable.

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— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) January 5, 2023

Podolyak accused the Russian Orthodox Church of instigating mass murder and said their call for a ceasefire was hypocritical considering Russia attacked Ukraine during Christmas celebrations.

“ROC is not an authority for global Orthodoxy & acts as a “war propagandist”. ROC called for the genocide of Ukrainians, incited mass murder & insists on even greater militarization of RF. Thus, ROC’s statement about “Christmas truce” is a cynical trap & an element of propaganda,” the presidential adviser said.

On Christmas Day, more than 10 rocket attacks were recorded in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine with more than 25 towns along the Kupiansk-Lyman frontline affected.

The development came a few hours after Putin said he was ready to negotiate for peace.

Podolyak had said Russia’s call for negotiations was an attempt to dodge responsibility for the war.

Meanwhile, world leaders have described Putin’s ceasefire offer as a coy attempt to re-fortify in preparation for future attacks.

“I’m reluctant to respond to anything Putin says. And I found it interesting. He was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches on the 25th and New Year’s. And, I mean, I think he’s trying to find some oxygen,” United States President Joe Biden said.

Putin has demanded that Ukraine accepts Moscow’s recent annexation of four regions in Ukraine before “serious dialogue” could begin.

However, Ukraine has said the only way for peace to exist is for Russian soldiers to leave the occupied regions, including the 2014 Russian annexed Crimean peninsula.