Putin Orders Ceasefire In Ukraine For 2 Days. Here’s Why
![Putin Orders Ceasefire In Ukraine For 2 Days. Here's Why Putin Orders Ceasefire In Ukraine For 2 Days. Here's Why](https://c.ndtvimg.com/2022-12/t2g4accg_russia-ukraine_625x300_26_December_22.jpg)
Russian troops occupy large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine. (Representational)
Moscow:
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine on Orthodox Christmas, celebrated this week by both countries, according to the Kremlin.
This is the first time Russia introduced a full ceasefire in Ukraine since the launch of the offensive in February last year.
The announcement comes following a request for a ceasefire during the religious holiday from Russia’s 76-year-old Orthodox leader Patriarch Kirill.
“I instruct the defence minister of the Russian Federation to introduce from 12:00 (0900 GMT) on January 6, 2023 until 24:00 (2100 GMT) on January 7, 2023 a ceasefire along the entire line of contact between the sides in Ukraine,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
“Given the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the areas of combat, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire and give them the opportunity to attend church services on Christmas Eve, as well as on the Day of the Nativity of Christ,” the statement added.
In a call with the Russian leader earlier Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pressed Putin to declare a “unilateral” ceasefire in Ukraine.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
For all the latest world News Click Here