The Kremlin announced on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a cease-fire in Ukraine during the Orthodox Christmas holiday.
According to the Kremlin, Russian forces must maintain a 36-hour cease-fire starting at 1200 on January 6.
On January 6–7, many Orthodox Christians—including those who reside in Russia and Ukraine—celebrate Christmas.
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The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, called on both sides of the conflict in Ukraine to observe a Christmas truce on Thursday. Kyiv criticized the move as a cynical trap.
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Putin issued the order, saying, “Taking into account the request of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I direct the Russian Federation’s Minister of Defense to establish a ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact of the parties in Ukraine from 12 a.m. on January 6, 2023, to 24 a.m. on January 7, 2023.”
As a result of the significant number of Orthodox residents who reside in the conflict zones, Putin urged the Ukrainian side to declare a truce so that they might attend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.
