Artillery duels continued on Friday in Bakhmut, the frontline hotspot in eastern Ukraine, as did shelling in other areas, despite Moscow’s announcement of a ceasefire. unilateral 36 hours, and while the United States promised massive new military aid to Kyiv.
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9:32 p.m.: Ukraine strikes prove Russian ceasefire was ‘cynical’, Washington judge
The United States considered that the strikes carried out on Friday in eastern Ukraine showed that the ceasefire announced by Vladimir Putin for Orthodox Christmas was a “cynical” step.
State Department spokesman Ned Price, recalling having already used the adjective to describe the Russian announcement the day before, told reporters on Friday: “I believe that the validity of this assessment has been confirmed, given what we witnessed all day.”
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7:11 p.m .: Washington announces $ 3 billion in additional military aid to Ukraine
The United States will provide a new military aid of 3 billion dollars to Ukraine for its defense against the Russian invasion, an aid which will include in particular armored infantry type Bradley, announced the White House on Friday.
This assistance must also include armored personnel carriers and howitzers, said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.
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6:02 p.m .: update on the situation with our special correspondent
Despite the ceasefire decreed by Vladimir Putin for Orthodox Christmas, the Russian army struck the city of Kramatorsk twice on Friday, without causing any casualties. In addition, artillery fire continued on both sides of the border at Bakhmout.
Update on the situation with our special correspondent in kyiv, Astrig Agopian.
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4:22 p.m .: the Russian ceasefire deemed “not credible” by the head of European diplomacy
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, called Friday “hypocrisy” the ceasefire announced by Moscow in Ukraine on the occasion of Orthodox Christmas, judging it “not credible”.
“The Kremlin completely lacks credibility and this declaration of a desire for a unilateral ceasefire is not credible,” Josep Borrell told reporters on the sidelines of a visit to Fez, Morocco. “The answer that comes to mind for all of us is skepticism in the face of so much hypocrisy.”
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4:05 p.m.: report with a Ukrainian territorial defense unit
For several weeks, the Russian Ministry of Defense has been broadcasting images of hundreds of soldiers on maneuvers a few kilometers north of Ukraine. The Kremlin keeps the pressure on. Our special envoys went to meet a Ukrainian territorial defense unit, ready to retaliate if necessary.
Reporting by Mélina Huet, Luke Shrago and Olga Ivashchenko.
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2:36 p.m.: the ceasefire in Ukraine, “additional proof of Russia’s cynicism”, according to France
“The unilateral announcement by the Kremlin of a ceasefire on the occasion of the Orthodox Christmas cannot deceive anyone”, reacted France through the spokesperson of the Quai d’Orsay, according to which a “just and lasting peace cannot come about without a total withdrawal of Russian troops from all Ukrainian territory”.
“This is further proof of the cynicism of Russia, which has consistently shown since February 24 that it does not want peace and that it pays little attention to the respect of its international obligations.”
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12:42 p.m .: Germany will deliver 40 “Marder” armored vehicles to Ukraine by spring
Germany will send 40 “Marder” armored vehicles to the Ukrainian army in the first quarter of 2023, a government spokesman said, the day after Berlin and Washington announced a new phase in military support brought to kyiv.
“Forty vehicles will be ready in the first quarter and can be sent to Ukraine”, after “8 weeks of training” provided to the Ukrainian army, said Steffen Hebestreit during the government’s regular press briefing.
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12:35 p.m .: Moscow accuses kyiv of continuing the bombardments
The army claims to respect the two-day unilateral ceasefire decreed by Moscow for Orthodox Christmas, but accuses kyiv of continuing the bombardments.
“Despite the respect of the ceasefire regime by the Russian troops (…) the kyiv regime continued to bombard Russian cities and positions”, indicates the Russian Ministry of Defense in its daily report.
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12:01 p.m .: Russian strikes in Kramatorsk despite the ceasefire announced by Moscow
The Russian army has twice struck the city of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, after the announced start of a unilateral ceasefire decreed by Moscowaccording to the deputy head of the presidential administration of Ukraine.
“Occupiers hit the city with rockets twice. A private residential building was hit. According to preliminary information, there are no casualties,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko said on Telegram.
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11:37 a.m .: bombardments continue in Bakhmout, despite the truce announced by Moscow
Artillery fire continues on both sides of the front in Bakhmut, the epicenter of fighting in eastern Ukraine, despite the entry into force of a unilateral truce announced earlier by Moscow, journalists from the AFP.
On the Ukrainian side as on the Russian side, shots were heard after the start of the ceasefire at 9:00 GMT in this city with largely destroyed and deserted streets. Their intensity was however less compared to the previous days, according to AFP.
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11:02 am: Lukashenko meets Russian soldiers stationed in Belarus
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko visited Russian troops stationed at a military base in Belarus, the defense ministry of this allied country of Moscow said on Friday.
During the meeting, Alexander Lukashenko and a representative of the Russian military discussed joint military exercises between the two countries, the ministry said.
“At this stage, the units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are ready to perform the planned tasks,” the unnamed Russian representative said.
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10:02 a.m .: Russian ceasefire has entered into force, according to Moscow
The unilateral Russian ceasefire ordered by Vladimir Putin on Thursday for Orthodox Christmas and rejected by kyiv entered into force on Friday January 6 on all front lines in Ukraine from noon Moscow time (09:00 GMT), a announced the Russian public television.
“At noon today, the ceasefire came into effect on the entire front line,” Russian public broadcaster 1 reported. “It will continue until the end of January 7.”
Separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine, quoted by Russian news agencies, reported the shelling of their stronghold of Donetsk by the Ukrainian army 15 minutes before the theoretical entry into force of the ceasefire .
With Reuters and AFP
Ukraine: continued bombing despite the ceasefire announced by Moscow