The Orthodox Christmas ceasefire ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin went into effect at noon Moscow time (4 a.m. EST), though the Kiev regime, backed by the U.S., rejected it. The Russian Defense Ministry, in its daily update of today, reported that the Ukrainian side was largely ignoring it. “Despite the observance of the ceasefire by the Russian grouping of troops from 12 p.m. (Moscow time) today, on 6 January, the Kiev regime continued its artillery shelling of populated areas and Russian positions,” the update said. “In Krasny Liman direction, there were four cases of mortar shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against the Russian positions. Three artillery attacks were conducted close to Belogorovka (Lugansk People’s Republic). There were eight cases of artillery shelling from the area of Novopavlovka (Zaporozhye region). The AFU positions that conducted shelling were suppressed by Russian forces’ backfire.”
D.P.R. leader Denis Pushilin made clear that Putin’s order did not mean that there’d be no response to provocations from the other side. Putin’s decision “concerns a ceasefire of an initiative fire or offensive action on our part,” Pushilin said on his Telegram channel. “But this does not mean that we will not respond to the provocations of the enemy or we will give some chance to the enemy during these festive hours to improve their positions on the line of contact.”
Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, during a press briefing yesterday, expressed skepticism about Putin’s order “given Russia’s long track record of propaganda, disinformation, and its relentless attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians.” This would be a true statement if he were talking about the Kiev regime. “So, of course, from our perspective, if Russia was truly interested in ceasing the violence and the bloodshed that they have brought to Ukraine’s people, they would pull out of Ukraine immediately,” Ryder went on. “And this war will end together right now, but it appears that will not be the case. So, our focus will continue to be on supporting Ukraine with their security assistance needs, as they fight to defend their country.”
Biden labeled the ceasefire order as an attempt by the Russian President “to find some oxygen” amid the grueling conflict rather than a genuine gesture to cease hostilities. Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov, in a statement posted to the embassy website, took particular note of the U.S. President’s reaction, in line with the latest announcement of more military equipment to Ukraine. “All this means is that Washington is committed to fight with us ‘to the last Ukrainian,’ while the destiny of the people of Ukraine means nothing to the U.S.,” said Antonov.
