Unilateral ceasefire ordered by Putin comes into force in Ukraine

A brief ceasefire between the warring sides in Ukraine ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Christmas Eve took effect early on Friday, Russian state television said, marking the first pause in the protracted war. 

"At noon today, the ceasefire regime came into force on the entire contact line," Russia's state-run First Channel announced on Friday, saying the truce will continue until the end of January 7.

The ceasefire order came on Thursday following an appeal by Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. Russia will be observing the truce for 36 hours, from 12:00 local time (0900 GMT) on January 6 until midnight on January 7, a report in state-owned RT said.

“We call upon the Ukrainian side to proclaim a cessation of hostilities and give them [Orthodox Christians] the opportunity to attend services on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day,” read a Kremlin statement.

This is while Ukrainian and Russian troops continued to attack each other’s positions in eastern Ukraine, according to reports.

The Russian truce has been rejected by Kiev, with officials there calling the move “hypocritical".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the goal of the unilateral ceasefire was to halt the progress of Ukraine's forces in Donetsk and the wider eastern Donbas region and bring in more of Moscow's forces.

"They now want to use Christmas as a cover, albeit briefly, to stop the advances of our boys in Donbas and bring equipment, ammunitions and mobilized troops closer to our positions," Zelensky said in his Thursday night video address.

Dmitry Polyansky, head of Russia's permanent mission to the United Nations, hit back in a Twitter post saying Ukraine's rejection was "one more reminder with whom we are fighting in Ukraine - ruthless nationalist criminals who ... have no respect for sacred things.”

Ukraine claims to have repelled multiple Russian attacks over the past days, with Moscow focusing on trying to take towns in Donetsk, including Bakhmut, which has seen the heaviest battles in recent weeks.

Russia's Orthodox Church observes Christmas on January 7.

Ukraine's main Orthodox Church has been recognized as independent by the church hierarchy since 2019 and rejects any notion of allegiance to the Moscow patriarch. Many Ukrainian believers have shifted their calendar to celebrate Christmas on December 25 as in the West.

Putin says ready for talks, orders truce; Ukraine rejects both

President Putin says Russia is ready for a serious dialog with Ukraine as he orders a 36-hour ceasefire over Orthodox Christmas. Kiev dismisses the offers as hypocrisy and propaganda.

Kiev to receive US, German armored vehicles

The rejection of the Russian ceasefire by the embattled government in Kiev came as the leaders of the United States and Germany said they were sending armored fighting vehicles in a boost for the Kiev government. 

The US weapons package, to be announced on Friday, is expected to include about 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles as part of security assistance totaling about $2.8 billion, US officials said.

US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a joint statement on Thursday that Germany would provide Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine. 

Both countries agreed to train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use them, the statement said. Germany would also supply a Patriot air defense battery to Ukraine.

Moscow has repeatedly said it is open to peace talks but sees no willingness to negotiate on the part of Kiev.

Russia started its "special military operation" in Ukraine with the declared aim of "de-Nazifying" the country on February 24, 2022. 

Since then, the United States and Europe have imposed waves of economic sanctions on Moscow and supplied large shipments of heavy weaponry to Kiev.

The Kremlin has warned the sanctions and the Western military assistance will only prolong the war, which is now in its eleventh month. 

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