Moscow, Europe Brief News – Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has ordered his defence minister to introduce a ceasefire in Ukraine from noon local time (10:00 GMT) on Friday to midnight (22:00 GMT) on Saturday.
The ceasefire will take effect in line with the Orthodox Christian Christmas.
There was no immediate response from Ukraine, which earlier on Thursday rejected a call from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church for a truce as a “cynical trap”.
It follows an appeal by the patriarch of that church, which has close ties to the Kremlin.
Patriarch Kirill, the head of Russia’s Orthodox Church, has earlier called for a ceasefire in Ukraine on Orthodox Christmas, celebrated this week by both countries.
“I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and of all Rus, appeal to all parties involved in the internecine conflict with a call to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on January 6 to 00:00 on January 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and on the day of the Nativity of Christ,” he said on the church’s official website.
A key pillar of President Putin’s ruling apparatus, the 75-year-old Kirill has championed conservative religious values and has supported the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.
