Russian forces opened fire ’14 times’ during first three hours of ceasefire, Luhansk governor claims
Russian shelling “did not stop for a moment” in the eastern Luhansk area despite the Kremlin’s claimed Christmas ceasefire and forces opened fire “14 times”, the region’s governor Serhiy Haidai reports.
In a statement on Telegram, Mr Haidai said: “Putin’s ‘Christmas truce’: Russian shelling in Luhansk region did not stop for a moment, pauses only for the supply of shells the country of liars.”
He also claimed that Russian troops had fired artillery 14 times and “stormed one of our settlements three times” in the first three hours of the ceasefire.
For context: Yesterday, Vladimir Putin announced Russian troops would be observing a 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine because it is when Orthodox Christmas is celebrated.
But the announcement was met with scepticism by Ukrainian and Western officials, who say Russia has an ulterior motive.
Today reports emerged that Russian and Ukrainian forces have exchanged artillery fire at the frontline even after Moscow’s ceasefire order.
In the hours prior to the ceasefire, rockets slammed into a residential building in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk close to the eastern frontline, damaging 14 homes.
Russia’s defence ministry said its troops began observing the ceasefire from 12pm Moscow time “along the entire line of contact” in the conflict, but said Ukraine kept up shelling populated areas and military positions.
Meanwhile, one witness in the Russian-occupied regional capital Donetsk, close to the front, told Reuters they had seen outgoing artillery fired from pro-Russian positions on the city’s outskirts after the truce was meant to take effect.
