Russian Shelling of Ukraine Continues, Soldiers Question "What Ceasefire?"

 

On Friday, the front line in Ukraine saw artillery fire between Russian and Ukrainian forces despite Moscow's claims that it had instructed its troops to cease firing in exchange for an unofficial ceasefire that Kyiv vehemently rejected.

In order to celebrate Russian Orthodox Christmas, President Vladimir Putin imposed a 36-hour cease-fire beginning at noon on Friday. Ukraine has said that it has no plans to end the conflict and has dismissed the rumoured cease-fire as a ruse by Moscow to obtain time to replenish soldiers who have suffered significant losses this week.

"what a truce? Are you hearing? "As an explosion sounded along the front line near Kreminna in eastern Ukraine, a Ukrainian soldier going by the name Vyshnya spoke.

The Russian defence ministry claimed that its troops started following the truce at noon Moscow time (0900 GMT), but claimed that Ukraine had continued to shell civilian areas and military outposts.

At the front line, Ukrainian soldiers reported hearing booms that they believed to be Russian rocket fire. Tank-mounted Ukrainians fired back.

The icy weather had made it difficult to fly drones and locate targets, according to the Ukrainian military, thus it was quieter than many previous days.

One of them, his face hidden by a scarf, declared, "The scenario today is precisely the same as yesterday, the day before yesterday, last week, and last month." There is no purpose in speaking with them or accepting their promises, directives, or decrees.

It was not immediately feasible to determine if there had been a decrease in the ferocity of the fighting in other areas.

One eyewitness in the regional capital of Donetsk, which is under Russian control, also reported seeing pro-Russian positions on the outskirts of the city firing artillery after the truce was supposed to go into effect.

The Russians blasted Ukrainian positions 14 times and assaulted one settlement three times in the first three hours of the ostensible ceasefire, according to Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the front-line Luhansk province in eastern Ukraine.

On the messaging platform Telegram, he posted, "Orthodox murderers wish you a nice Christmas."

On January 7, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas. The primary Orthodox Church in Ukraine has disregarded Moscow's rule, and many believers there have changed their calendars to observe Christmas on December 25 like in the West.

Putin chose to attend a private ceremony in a cathedral within the Kremlin rather than taking part in a communal celebration. Two live broadcasts of Putin inside the glittering Cathedral of the Annunciation, where Orthodox priests were performing the Divine Liturgy at midnight, were shown on state television.