By KYIV. Jan 5 (Interfax-Ukraine) – There is not even the slightest desire to stop the war in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s instructions on the Christmas truce, and the initiative itself is manipulative and does not require a reaction, Adviser to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podoliak has said.
"They have one task: ‘an immediate negotiation, acceptance of the Russian ultimatum, a new line of separation.’ This is the cynical meaning of Putin’s instructions for a "temporary ceasefire." A banal trick. There is not even the slightest desire to end the war in it," he said in a comment circulated on Thursday.
"Of course, this is purely a propaganda gesture. And nothing else. Russia is trying to at least temporarily reduce the intensity of battles and the intensity of attacks on its logistics centers in every possible way in order to win time for conducting additional mobilization, build large-scale fortifications in the occupied territories and regroup the army," he said.
In addition, Podoliak noted that "Russia wants to show supposedly ‘humanistic approaches in the war’ and still try to convince the Europeans so that they start putting pressure on us."
"Let me remind you that only Russia attacks civilian targets with missiles/drones, including places of religious rites, and does this precisely on Christmas holidays. Therefore, once again: there is no need to respond to deliberately manipulative initiatives of the leadership of the Russian Federation," he said.
