Volodymyr Zelensky: Russia wants truce to stop our advances and bring in troops and ammunition
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that Russia is looking for a truce to use as cover to stop Ukrainian advances in the eastern Donbas region and to bring more people and equipment, according to Reuters, quoted by HotNews.ro.
"They now want to use Christmas as a cover, even if only for a short time, to stop the advances of our guys in Donbas and bring equipment, ammunition and mobilized troops closer to our positions," Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video speech, speaking in Russian and not Ukrainian.
“What will this bring them? Just another increase in their total losses," the Kyiv leader said.
Zelenskiy said the war "will end either when your soldiers leave or when we throw them out."
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reacted on Twitter to Vladimir Putin's ceasefire proposal, saying it "cannot and should not be taken seriously".
"First of all, Ukraine does not attack foreign territories and does not attack civilians. How is the Russian Federation? Ukraine only destroys members of the occupation army on its territory," presidential adviser Mihailo Podoliak also wrote on Thursday evening.
"Secondly, the Russian Federation must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a 'temporary truce.' Keep your hypocrisy to yourselves,” he added.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed doubt that the rejection of the truce by presidential adviser Mihailo Podoliak reflects the point of view of President Volodymyr Zelensky, writes Reuters, citing the Interfax news agency.
"It is difficult for us to judge whether Podolyak's opinion reflects the point of view of the President of Ukraine," Dmitry Peskov said.
Radio Moldova recalls that on Thursday, under the pretext of celebrating Christmas in the old style, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, ordered the Russian Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, to impose a cease-fire along the front line with Ukraine, starting on January 6, 12:00 o'clock until midnight on January 7, the Kremlin announced.
