- Title: Ukrainians spurn Putin's 'hypocritical' call for Christmas truce
- Date: 5th January 2023
- Summary: KYIV, UKRAINE (JANUARY 5, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CENTRAL KYIV DURING EVENING RUSH HOUR (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) LOCAL RESIDENT, NATALIIA SHKOLKA, 52, SAYING: "I think this is utter hypocrisy. On the 31st of December there was no peace. We were under such bombing for New Year's Eve. Just hypocrisy on Putin's side." JOURNALIST ASKING: "Do you believe they could actually stop fighting?" SHKOLKA, REPLYING: "No. No. I don't think so." WOMAN WALKING PAST (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) LOCAL RESIDENT, OLEKSANDR (NO SURNAME GIVEN), SAYING: "This is some unfunny joke. In the history of our country there were so many times that we trusted the Moskals (derogatory for Russians) and this never led to anything good. We can't trust them and we have to be cautious." PEDESTRIANS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LOCAL RESIDENT, ROMAN (NO SURNAME GIVEN), 33, SAYING: "This is just a pretty candy wrapper which Russia uses to present itself as a country that wants to end the conflict without actually doing anything. So, this is all a lie, once again, in my opinion." STREET/TRAFFIC (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) LOCAL RESIDENT, OLEKSANDR VRAHOV, 33, SAYING: "They can just say they are stopping, but actually will continue to shell us with Shaheds (drones) and other weapons." SCULPTURE ON OPERA SQUARE MAN WITH CHILD ON SHOULDERS (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) LOCAL RESIDENT, IRYNA VOLOSCHUK, SAYING: "We can't trust a single word they say. Even (British PM during World War II Winston) Churchill said that Russia and Russian communism was horrible." VARIOUS OF TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIANS (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) LOCAL RESIDENT, YULIIA SYDNYCHENKO, 52, SAYING: "I don’t believe he (Russian president Vladimir Putin) will go through with the ceasefire. We celebrated New Year's under bombs and missiles, I couldn’t go anywhere with my daughter. There was peace for an hour or two and that’s it." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN CENTRAL KYIV INTERNET (JANUARY 5, 2023) (REUTERS) (MUTE) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER, MYKHAILO PODOLYAK, TWEETING ON RUSSIA'S CEASEFIRE OFFER, READING (English): "First. Ukraine doesn't attack foreign territory & doesn't kill civilians. As RF does. Ukraine destroys only members of the occupation army on its territory... Second. RF must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a "temporary truce". Keep hypocrisy to yourself."
- Embargoed: 19th January 2023 16:52
- Keywords: Russia Ukraine Vladimir Putin Volodymyr Zelenskiy ceasefire war in Ukraine
- Location: KYIV, UKRAINE / INTERNET
- City: KYIV, UKRAINE / INTERNET
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001065005012023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Kyiv residents on Thursday (January 5) poured scorn on Russian President Vladimir Putin's call for an Orthodox Christmas truce, describing it as 'hypocrisy'.
The Kremlin said Putin had ordered a ceasefire from midday on Friday (January 6) after a call for a Christmas truce from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
52-years-old Kyivan Nataliia Shkolka dismissed the Kremlin's order as "utter hypocrisy."
Resident Roman, aged 33, said a Russian ceasefire was "just a pretty candy wrapper which Russia uses to present itself as a country that wants to end the conflict without actually doing anything."
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhailo Podolyak tweeted that Russia "must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a 'temporary truce'. Keep hypocrisy to yourself."
In a more detailed statement to media, Podolyak said Putin's proposal was "purely a propaganda gesture".
He said Russia, which invaded Ukraine last February, wanted to secure additional time to reduce the intensity of military clashes and regroup, mobilise additional forces and continue to build fortifications on territory it has occupied.
(Production: Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey, Stefaniia Bern, Felix Hoske) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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