Putin instructs Russian Defense Minister to declare ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas

Vladimir Putin has instructed Russian Defense Ministry Sergey Shoigu to declare a temporary ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the Russian and Ukrainian armies for Orthodox Christmas, the Kremlin reported on Monday.

According to the announcement, the ceasefire will be in effect from noon on January 6 until midnight on January 7.

Putin’s instruction comes just hours after Russia's spiritual leader, Patriarch Kirill, called for a Christmas ceasefire.

“Given that a large number of Orthodox citizens live in combat zones, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and give them the chance to attend a service on Christmas Eve, as well as on Christmas,” read Putin’s statement.

The Ukrainian President’s Office called Patriarch Kirill’s earlier request for a ceasefire a “cynical trap and an element of propaganda.” Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said that the Russian Orthodox Church is not an authority for Orthodox believers worldwide and that he’s “acting as a war propagandist,” including by calling for “the genocide of Ukrainians.”