Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered his troops to stand down for 36 hours so that soldiers would have a chance to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas holiday (the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7th).
“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,” reads Putin’s order.
Original Article: Ukraine Rejects Putin’s Call for a Holiday Truce – The Punching Bag Post
