Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the Russian defence minister to cease fire in Ukraine over Orthodox Christmas, writes Sky News.

The Russian military will observe a 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine from noon on 6 January to midnight on 7 January.

Many Orthodox Christians, including those living in Russia and Ukraine, celebrate Christmas on 6 to 7 January.

An official statement from the Kremlin posted on the Telegram app read: “Instructions of the President of the Russian Federation to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Taking into account the appeal of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation to introduce from 12:00 January 6, 2023 until 24:00 January 7, 2023, a ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the parties in Ukraine. Based on the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the combat areas, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and give them the opportunity to attend services on Christmas Eve, as well as on the Day of the Nativity of Christ”.

A senior Ukrainian official has dismissed Russian President’s 36-hour ceasefire proposal today as hypocrisy. Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter that a “temporary truce” would be possible only when Russia leaves territory it is occupying in Ukraine.

“The Russian Federation must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a “temporary truce”. Keep hypocrisy to yourself”, - the presidential adviser said.