Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire for this Friday and Saturday in Ukraine, days on which Orthodox Christmas is celebrated, AFP said. This decision by the President of Russia comes after an appeal from Kirill, Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.
‼️Putin ordered Shoygu to implement a ceasefire along the entire frontline in Ukraine from 12:00 AM on January 6 to 12:00 AM on January 7. pic.twitter.com/VkNLqw9fXf
– NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 5, 2023
“Taking into account the call of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I direct the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation to begin on January 6, 2023 at 12:00 (9:00 in Lisbon) until 24:00 (21:00 in Lisbon). Lisbon ) of January 7, 2023 a ceasefire along the entire line of contact with Ukraine,” the Kremlin said in a statement, suspending military operations for the first time since the invasion began.
“Taking into account that a large number of civilians professing Orthodoxy live in the battle zones, we ask the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend church services on Christmas Eve, as well as on the Nativity of Christ,” the statement added.
The Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church had asked Moscow and Kiev on Thursday for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine over Orthodox Christmas festivities.
“I, Cyril, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, address all parties involved in the fratricidal conflict to call upon them to conclude a ceasefire and to sign a Christmas truce from January 6, 12:00 a.m. to January 7, 00:00 a.m. hours. that the Orthodox population can go to mass on Christmas Eve and on the day of the birth of Jesus Christ,” the Russian Orthodox patriarch stated in a post on the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Russia and Ukraine are countries whose populations are mainly Orthodox, but Kiev has in recent years broken away from Moscow’s religious tutelage, notably by establishing an independent church.
Patriarch Cyril has delivered sermons since the beginning of the Russian offensive in Ukraine, blessing Russian troops while criticizing the Ukrainian authorities.
Ukraine, on the other hand, conducted a series of searches of churches and monasteries that depended on the Moscow Patriarchate as a counterintelligence measure.
Although the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate broke off relations with Russia in May, several of its dignitaries were sanctioned by Kiev for their perceived pro-Russian views.
Ukraine calls ceasefire ‘hypocrisy’
An adviser to the Ukrainian president described the announcement of a Russian ceasefire in Ukraine on the occasion of Orthodox Christmas as “hypocrisy”, and called on Russian troops to leave the country.
“Russia must leave the occupied territories, and only then a ‘temporary ceasefire’ is possible. Continue hypocrisy.”wrote on Twitter.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24 has already led to the flight of more than 14 million people – 6.5 million internally displaced and more than 7.9 million to European countries – according to the latest UN data. Nations. this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
Currently, 17.7 million Ukrainians need humanitarian aid and 9.3 million need food aid and shelter.
The Russian invasion – justified by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russian security – was condemned by the international community at large, which responded by sending arms to Ukraine and impose political and economic sanctions on Russia.
The UN presented 6,919 dead civilians and 11,075 wounded as confirmed since the start of the war, emphasizing that these numbers are far below the real ones.
Source: DN
