Vladimir Putin has ordered ceasefire in Ukraine front line

President Vladimir Putin has ordered an Orthodox Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ceasefire along the entire front line of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.

"In light of His Holiness Kirill's appeal, I direct the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation to introduce a cease-fire system along the entire line of contact between the parties in Ukraine from 12:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on January 6. "On January 7 this year," reads the presidential decree, issued by the Kremlin's press service.

Most Orthodox Christians, including Russian and Ukrainian parishioners, celebrate Christmas on January 7 according to the Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar.

The Russian military later confirmed on Thursday that a 36-hour ceasefire will be enforced along the line of contact from noon on January 6 to midnight on January 7, in accordance with the president's order.

Ukrainian authorities rejected Patriarch Kirill's appeal for a ceasefire earlier in the day, with presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak accusing the Russian Orthodox Church of acting as "propagandists of war" and "Ukrainians." is calling for genocide." Podoliak called Kural's request "a sinister trap and a piece of propaganda".