Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a ceasefire along the entire front line between the parties in Ukraine from 12:00 Moscow time on January 6 to 24:00 on January 7.
In accordance with the instruction of the President of Russia in a statement released by the Kremlin: “Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the Minister of Defense of Russia to cease fire along the line of contact in Ukraine. from 12:00 pm January 6, 2023 to 24:00 am January 7, 2023.
The statement added: “Based on the fact that a large number of citizens who have converted to Orthodoxy live in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and allow them to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day.”
Earlier Thursday, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow called for a Christmas truce to allow Orthodox Christians to attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas.
And at the end of December last year, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church said that Russia’s entry into hostilities in the Donbass was the result of the fact that peacekeeping efforts were sabotaged by the Kyiv authorities and Western countries.
He admitted that he perceived what was happening with deep pain, but the blame for unleashing the crisis lies primarily with those who “set as their goal the destruction of the unity of the holy people of Russia, the unity of our people and our faith.” .
On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, and according to the Russian president, the operation is aimed at “protecting citizens who have been subjected to persecution and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years,” noting that the ultimate goal is to free Donbass and creating conditions that guarantee the security of Russia.
Source: News
