Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Moscow's armed forces to hold a 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine this weekend for the Russian Orthodox Christmas holiday, the Kremlin said. The order follows a proposal by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, earlier in the day, which was dismissed by an official in the Ukrainian presidential office as propaganda.
"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," according to Mr Putin's order, addressed to defence minister Sergei Shoigu and published on the Kremlin's website.
Patriarch Kirill suggested a truce from noon on Friday through to midnight on Saturday local time. The Russian Orthodox Church, which uses the ancient Julian calendar, celebrates Christmas on January 7 - later than the Gregorian calendar - although some Christians in Ukraine also mark the holiday on that date.
