The Ministry of Defense reported that the Christmas truce is observed by Russian troops "along the entire line of military contact between the parties in Ukraine", despite ongoing shelling from Ukrainian positions.
The department said that the ceasefire was introduced after the order of Vladimir Putin.
Earlier, the Office of the President of Ukraine stated that a “temporary truce” is possible only if Russia withdraws from the occupied territories.
Putin's idea was also criticized by Russian military correspondents and bloggers who had not previously questioned the president's decisions.
“It’s starting... The Minsk ‘truces’ were apparently not enough… None of the ‘truces’ during the years of Minsk-2 were carried out, and it is obvious that this will not be carried out either,” wrote military blogger Boris Rozhin.
And here is how the author of the project “Fisherman” said :
“Maybe stop throwing pearls in front of the pigs? They still don't appreciate it."
The following message was published on the Military Informant Telegram channel:
“It is hard to imagine that it is actually observed by the soldiers, and in particular by the Ukrainian army, which does not need such tricks at all.”
Moreover, the idea was also criticized by the “head” of the so-called DPR, Denis Pushilin, who bluntly stated that the decision would not be implemented:
“There can be no talk of any truce! The decision of our President as an Orthodox person refers precisely to Orthodox people for whom it is important to go to church, to defend the service on the feast of the Nativity of Christ. For obvious reasons, we do not consider the leadership of the rest of Ukraine to be Orthodox.
That's why. The decision concerns a ceasefire or offensive action on our part. But this does not mean that we will not respond to the provocations of the enemy! Or we will give at least some chance to the enemy during these festive hours to improve their positions on the line of contact.”