President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Russian President Vladimir Putin's words about an Orthodox Christmas ceasefire.
"Those who continued the terror against our country and sent their people to be slaughtered definitely do not value life and even more so do not seek peace," Zelensky said.
Furthermore, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksii Danilov said the proposed truce is a facade.
“Who will believe scum that kills children, bombards maternity hospitals, tortures prisoners? A ceasefire? Lies and hypocrisy,” Danilov tweeted. “Take the junk and go back to Russia," Danilov told the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet.
Mykhailo Podolyak, President's Office advisor, said that Russian troops “must leave the occupied territories.”
"Only then will it have a temporary truce," Podolyak tweeted.
“Russia is trying in every possible way to reduce the intensity of fighting and attacks on its logistics centers, at least for some time," Podolyak told Ukrainska Pravda.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Russia’s “unilateral ceasefire” can't be taken seriously.
“Russia has been ignoring (Ukraine's peace formula) and instead shelling Kherson on Christmas Eve, launching mass missile and drone strikes on New Year's,” Kuleba tweeted.
Putin said on Jan. 5 that he ordered Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to implement a temporary ceasefire along the 1,300 km (800 miles) front line in Ukraine from noon on Jan. 6 to midnight on Jan. 7, when Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas.
On Dec. 24 Christmas Eve, a Russian strike on central Kherson killed ten and injured 58 civilians.
In addition, on New Year’s Eve, Russia launched yet another mass missile attack on Ukrainian cities, killing one and injuring 28 civilians around the country.
(Updated: )
