Putin Calls For Cease-Fire To Mark Orthodox Christmas

January 5, 2023 Russia, Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed his military to observe a cease-fire in Ukraine for 36 hours and called on Kyiv to do the same, the Kremlin said Thursday, in a move that coincides with Russian Orthodox Christmas.

Ukraine indicated earlier it wouldn’t support such a move, and has long viewed suggestions of a truce as favoring Moscow.

Putin instructed his defense minister to institute a cease-fire “along the entire line of contact between the parties in Ukraine” starting at midday local time (4 a.m. ET) on Friday, the Kremlin said in a statement posted on Telegram. The proposed Christmas truce would last until midnight local time (4 p.m. ET) on Saturday.

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BREAKING: Russian President Putin calls on Kyiv to observe a 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine for Russian Orthodox Christmas, a move Ukraine has indicated it would reject. https://t.co/DzNsaIAP8T

— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 5, 2023