Shelling Reported as Russian Christmas Ceasefire Begins in Ukraine

Russia declared on Friday that it would observe a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine beginning at noon and lasting for 36 hours. Ukrainian, American, and European officials derided the announcement as a trick and artillery fire reportedly continued on the Ukrainian battlefield.

The Kremlin announcement said its ceasefire was timed to coincide with Eastern Orthodox Christmas, which is celebrated on January 7.   

“Given that a large number of citizens practicing Orthodoxy resides in the areas of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to announce a cease-fire and give them an opportunity to attend services on Christmas Eve and the day of Christ’s birth,” the Kremlin said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky questioned Russia’s motives in his response, asserting the Kremlin merely wants to “use Christmas as a cover” to “stop the advance of our guys in Donbas and bring equipment, ammunition, and mobilized troops closer to our positions.” 

“Everyone in the world knows how the Kremlin uses lulls in the war to continue the war with new force,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky was not the only skeptic. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) accused Russian leader Vladimir Putin of using the ceasefire proposal as an “information operation intended to damage Ukraine’s reputation.”

“Putin cannot reasonably expect Ukraine to meet the terms of this suddenly declared ceasefire, and may have called for the ceasefire to frame Ukraine as unaccommodating and unwilling to take the necessary steps toward negotiations,” the ISW explained.

The group seconded Zelensky’s critique that Russia is not so much “ceasing fire” as “reloading” and noted Putin was quite willing to attack Ukrainian military and civilian targets on December 25, when most of the world and much of the Ukrainian population celebrates Christmas.

American and European officials likewise accused Russia of simply calling a brief time-out so it can regroup and counterattack.

“If Putin wanted peace, he would take his soldiers home and the war would be over. But apparently he wants to continue the war after a short break,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock sarcastically observed.

“A so-called ceasefire will bring neither freedom nor security to the people who live in daily fear under Russian occupation,” she added.

“[Putin] was ready to bomb hospitals and nurseries and churches on the 25th and New Year’s,” U.S. President Joe Biden observed. “I mean, I think he’s trying to find some oxygen.”

Skeptics said the timing of Russia’s ceasefire proposal had more to do with this week’s Ukrainian artillery strike on Russian temporary barracks, apparently inflicting Russia’s worst casualties of the war to date, than Orthodox Christmas.

The Russian government and military responded to the strike with panic and blame-shifting, as various factions blamed everyone from incompetent field commanders to troops foolishly using their cell phones for making the Ukrainian attack possible. Russia claims 89 of its troops were killed in the strike, while Ukraine claims the true number is close to 400.

The Moscow Times reported that Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian cities of Bakhmut and Kramatorsk with rockets and artillery on Friday despite Putin’s ostensible ceasefire declaration. Reuters on Friday quoted eyewitnesses in the Russian-occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine who said they could see outgoing artillery fire from pro-Russian separatist forces after Putin’s cease-fire supposedly went into effect.