The Kremlin site transmitted Vladimir Putin’s directive to halt all firing along the contact line in Ukraine from 12:00 on January 6 to 24:00 on January 7, directing Sergei Shoigu, the defense minister, to implement a ceasefire during this window.
Quote attributed to the president on the Kremlin page: “At the call of His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill, I instruct the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation to declare a ceasefire along the entire line of contact in Ukraine from 12:00 on January 6 to 24:00 on January 7.”
The publication notes that a large segment of Orthodox believers is located in areas affected by hostilities and should be allowed to participate in Christmas Eve and Christmas Day rites. The message also extends a call to the Ukrainian side.
Subsequently, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that, following the president’s directive, troops were ordered to enforce a 36-hour ceasefire from 12:00 on January 6 to 24:00 on January 7 along the full contact line between the parties in Ukraine.
In response to the president’s instruction, Vladimir Legoyda, head of the synodal department of the Moscow Patriarchate responsible for church-society-media relations, wrote on Telegram that the Russian Orthodox Church welcomed Putin’s order. “The Patriarch’s call has been heard. Thank God,” Legoyda commented.
Cyril’s suggestion
Earlier, Patriarch Kirill proposed a Christmas truce in Ukraine from January 6–7. He stated, “I, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, call on all parties involved in the internecine conflict to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on January 6 to 24:00 on January 7, so that the Orthodox can attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.”
Mikhail Podolyak, the top adviser to Ukraine’s presidency, responded on social media, calling the Patriarch’s proposal a cynical trap and a propaganda move. He argued that the Russian Orthodox Church is not the authority of world Orthodoxy and accused it of endorsing the special operation and pushing for greater militarization of Russia. Podolyak also pushed back on Putin’s call, stating that Russia should withdraw from occupied areas before a temporary ceasefire could be considered.
Offer
On January 5, telephone conversations took place between the presidents of Russia and Turkey, Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The discussions included the idea of creating a gas hub in Turkey to supply Ukraine, Syria, and Europe, according to Erdogan’s press service. The Turkish side also referenced previous outcomes about the grain deal, prisoner exchanges, and a security zone around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, as reported by the Anatolia agency. Erdogan emphasized that calls for peace must be backed by a unilateral halt to hostilities and a fair resolution of differences.
Background of the Christmas Truce
In December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Russia to withdraw troops by Christmas. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, responded that such a withdrawal was not being considered and urged Kyiv to acknowledge the realities on the ground. Later, before the New Year, Peskov stated that Moscow had not received any offers from Kyiv for a Christmas and New Year truce.
On New Year’s Eve, Russia reportedly launched widespread missile strikes against Ukraine’s defense industry and energy facilities, leading to significant losses for Ukraine’s energy system. In the first hours of January, Ukrainian forces reportedly targeted Donetsk, Makeevka, and Gorlovka, with reports indicating damage including a vocational school building in Makeevka and casualties among Russian forces, as cited by the Russian Ministry of Defense.