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Ukraine clinches US and German armoured vehicles, rejects Russian ceasefire order

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Ukraine dismissed as a trick a Russian unilateral order for a 36-hour ceasefire to begin on Friday (6 January). Leaders of the United States, Germany and France said that they were sending armoured fighting vehicle support for the Kyiv government.

According to US officials, the US weapon package will include approximately 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles in security assistance worth about $2.8 billion.

U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters that "right now, the war in Ukraine has reached a critical point. We must do all we can to assist the Ukrainians in resisting Russian aggression."

According to a joint statement by Biden and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Germany will provide Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

It said that both countries had agreed to teach Ukrainian soldiers how to use the weapons. Germany will also provide a Patriot air defense battery to Ukraine. The country has had some successes on the battlefield since Russian forces invaded Ukraine last February, but has requested heavier weapons from its allies.

TRUCE PROPOSAL

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, rejected a Russian order to end the truce over Russian Orthodox Christmas at midnight on Saturday. The truce was to be held at noon on Friday. He claimed that it was a trick to stop the advance of Ukraine's troops in the eastern Donbas and bring in more Moscow's.

Zelenskiy stated in his Thursday night video address that "they now want to use Christmas to cover, albeit briefly to stop the advances by our boys in Donbas" and brought equipment, ammunitions, and mobilised troops closer towards our positions.

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"What will it give them? They will only see an increase in their total losses."

Biden claimed that Putin's ceasefire offer was an indication of his desperation. He told reporters at White House that he believed Putin was trying to get some oxygen.

Anatoly Antonov (Russia's ambassador to Washington) responded on Facebook, saying that Washington is determined to fight with Ukraine "to the last Ukrainian."

He urged Washington to think about the possible consequences of sending Bradleys to war.

The Russian Orthodox Church observes Christmas every 7 January. Since 2019, Ukraine's Orthodox Church has been recognized as an independent church and rejects all ties to the Moscow patriarch. Many Ukrainian Christians have moved Christmas to 25 Decembe, the same day as in the West, because they believe that this is the best time to celebrate Christmas.

Zelenskiy pointedly spoke in Russian, not Ukrainian, and said that ending war meant "ending your nation's aggression... The war will end when your soldiers leave or they are thrown out."

Dmitry Polyansky (head of Russia's permanent mission at the United Nations) tweeted that Ukraine's response was "one more reminder" about who we were fighting in Ukraine - "ruthless nationalist criminals, who... have no respect to sacred things."

NO PEACE

In a telephone conversation with Zelenskiy, Turkish President Tayyip Erdan said that his government is ready to accept mediation and moderation duties in order to achieve a lasting peace between Russia & Ukraine.

Separately, Putin informed Erdogan on Thursday that Russia is open to dialogue about Ukraine. However, Kyiv would need to accept the loss territory claimed by Russia.

At an event in Lisbon Antonio Guterres, chief of the United Nations, stated that he believes warring parties are "far from a time in which a serious peaceful negotiation is possible".

Putin described the war as a "specially military operation" to defend his country's security. It has resulted in millions of refugees, thousands of deaths, and ruined many cities, towns, and villages across Ukraine.

The Ukrainian prosecutor general's office reported that at least 452 children were killed and 877 injured during the conflict.

People in the capital Kyiv, and Kramatorsk (the eastern city), rejected Putin's ceasefire request.

Valerii, 30, from Kramatorsk, said that despite having a Catholic Christmas, the fighting continued. He also stated that New Year's Eve had been a difficult year for his town, with three to four hitches.

"The fighting never ends, not on holidays or weekends. Do you trust him? No."

Nataliia Shkolka (52), said in Kyiv that she was under such bombing during New Year's Eve. It's hypocrisy on Putin’s part, I believe.

The war in eastern Ukraine continues with heavy fighting, with the worst occurring near Bakhmut in the east.

Ukraine claims Russia has lost thousands despite seizing little ground during months of futile attacks on Bakhmut.

"We are holding on. "The guys are trying to keep up the defense," Viktor, a Ukrainian soldier aged 39, said. He was driving an armoured vehicle from Soledar (a salt-mining community on Bakhmut’s northeastern fringes).

A White House official stated that the United States believes Yevgeny Prgozhin, Putin's ally, is trying to control salt and gypsum mines near Bakhmut.

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