Truce in Ukraine for Orthodox Christmas.
Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire from noon on January 6 until midnight on January 7 .
«Considering the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation to introduce a ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact between the parties in Ukraine from 12:00 on January 6 to 24:00: 00 of 7 January», is the statement released by the Kremlin, which asks Kiev to respect the 36-hour truce.
«In view of the fact that a large number of citizens of the Orthodox faith live in the combat zones, we appeal to the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire , to give them the opportunity to attend the ceremonies on the eve as well as on the day of the Nativity of Christ".
Shortly before, the Orthodox Patriarch "of Moscow and all Russia" had asked for a Christmas truce to allow the faithful to "participate in religious services on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day" .
A statement that according to Kiev is " a cynical trap, an element of propaganda ", said the adviser to the head of the Ukrainian President's Office Mikhailo Podolyak, recalling that the Russian Orthodox Church "has called for the genocide of the Ukrainians, encouraged the massacres and insisted on an even greater militarization of Russia".
However, there have not been the hoped-for steps forward towards a lasting peace, requested by the Turkish president Erdogan who spoke today with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts.
Putin underlined the "destructive" role of the West in Ukraine and reiterated: Moscow is only open to serious dialogue " if Kiev satisfies our requests and takes account of the new territorial realities ". In a nutshell, if it gives up the regions now annexed by the Russian Federation.
(Unioneonline/L)
