"Hypocrisy, Propaganda": Ukraine Dismisses Russian Ceasefire Declaration

Ukraine on Thursday rejected Russia's declaration of a ceasefire over Orthodox Christmas as "hypocrisy" and "propaganda", Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Thursday.

Russia "must leave the occupied territories -- only then will it have a 'temporary truce'. Keep hypocrisy to yourself," Podolyak wrote on Twitter in reaction to the Kremlin announcement.

"This is a complete propaganda gesture and nothing more," Podolyak said in a separate statement.

"Russia is trying to find any way to lower the intensity of the fighting and the intensity of the strikes on its logistical centres" to strengthen and regroup, he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine on Orthodox Christmas, celebrated this week by both countries, according to the Kremlin.

This is the first time Russia introduced a full ceasefire in Ukraine since the launch of the offensive in February last year.

Podolyak said the ceasefire declaration was a "banal trick".

"There is not the slightest desire to end the war," he said, adding: "There is no need to respond to the obviously manipulative initiatives of the Russian leadership".

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