Russia intends to continue its military operations in Ukraine unabated during the upcoming public holidays. The ceasefire is not on the agenda, Kremlin chief Putin explains. His spokesman is more cautious about new annexation demands.
With a view to the upcoming holidays, Moscow is not planning a ceasefire in Ukraine. The Kremlin said there was no break in the fighting for either Christmas or New Year. Ukraine has not asked for a ceasefire either. "No one has made a proposal in this regard, the issue is not on the agenda," said spokesman for the Russian Presidential Office Dmitry Peskov. In Russia, according to the Orthodox calendar, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th. The holiday period usually extends from New Year's Day to after January 7th.
At the beginning of the week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indirectly suggested to Moscow that the occupation troops be withdrawn from Ukraine by Christmas. With this step, Russia can show its true intentions, he said in a video link to the G7 summit in Berlin. Should Russia withdraw its armies from Ukraine, this would ensure a reliable cessation of hostilities. "And I see no reason why Russia isn't doing this now, at Christmas. The answer from Moscow will show what they really want there," Zelenskyj was quoted as saying by the Unian state agency. Peskow had already rejected this. It is "out of the question" for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine before Christmas.
Peskov also declined to give a date for President Vladimir Putin's annual address to the Russian parliament. The speech had not taken place in 2022. No reasons were given for this. Moscow had previously announced that Putin would not be holding his traditional press conference at the end of the year. Kremlin spokesman Peskov pointed out that Putin also speaks to the press on other occasions, notably during his trips abroad.
Meanwhile, senior Donetsk separatist leader Denis Pushilin told Ria Novosti news agency that Moscow should annex the two Ukrainian regions around the cities of Odessa and Chernihiv. Peskov moderated the request, saying the priority was to protect "the people in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions" in eastern Ukraine.
