Ukraine war news latest: Putin praises Russian Orthodox Church for supporting war

A 66-year-old man and a 61-year-old woman were killed in Russian shelling in the eastern Ukraine city of Bakhmut on Friday, says Ukrainian defence ministry.

Sharing details on Twitter, the ministry also added that 13 people were wounded in artillery attacks.

Shelling has been reported despite the Russian president Putin’s call for a temporary truce to allow for Orthodox Christmas services to take place.

Located in eastern Ukraine, Bakhmut in Donetsk oblast, has seen some of the fiercest fighting in recent weeks. The regional governor, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said that 60% of the city had been destroyed in recent attacks.

Our International Correspondent, Bel Trew, has reported from Bakhmut over the Christmas period on emergency services operating amidst the fighting.

President Putin called for both sides to hold a temporary ceasefire from midday on Friday, to allow for Orthodox Christmas services to take place.

The Russian defence ministry maintains its troops were respecting the ceasefire ‘along the entire line of contact’, however reports of artillery shelling and fighting has suggested the temporary truce has had little impact.

Ukraine dismissed the Russian ceasefire as ‘a banal trick’ to allow for their troops to regroup.

Shelling across positions in eastern Ukraine, as well as claims of attacks on civilian targets, have continued through the Christmas period.

In its daily update of the war in Ukraine, the UK Ministry of Defense said that “fighting has continued at a routine level”.

Finland’s defence minister, Mikko Savola, has announced the Finnish government is organising its ‘12th aid package’ for the Ukrainian war effort.

Details of the contents of the aid package have not been agreed, but the minister remarked that any aid package would not jeopardise Finland’s own defences.

Finland have supported Ukraine through €189.2m in funding for defence purposes, as well as €29m in additional development funds, aimed at improving energy security and education.

The country also joined NATO in July 2022 as a direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s general staff has updated its numbers of Russian troops which it believes to have killed since the invasion began.

Russian deaths are up to 110,740, following an additional 490 deaths recorded.

In its daily update, also posted on social media, Ukraine’s general staff also recorded two tanks and three artillery systems destroyed.

Current numbers have not yet been independently verified and data collected by the Russian armed forces differ from that of Ukraine.

However, it is thought the number of recorded deaths in Russian records is far below the real number killed.

Vladimir Putin has praised the Russian Orthodox Church for its “selfless” support for Moscow’s forces fighting in Ukraine.

The Kremlin issued the Russian president’s message after he attended an Orthodox Christmas Eve service on his own inside a Kremlin cathedral – rather than joining other worshippers in a public celebration.

In his message, Mr Putin made clear that he saw the Russian Orthodox Church as an important stabilising force for society at a time he has cast as a historical clash between Russia and the West over Ukraine and other issues.

“It is deeply gratifying to note the enormous constructive contribution of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations in unifying society, preserving our historical memory, educating youth and strengthening the institution of family,” said Mr Putin.

“Church organisations prioritise … supporting our warriors taking part in the special military operation. Such massive, complex and truly selfless work deserves sincere respect.”

President Vladimir Putin has praised the Russian Orthodox Church for supporting Russian forces fighting in Ukraine in an Orthodox Christmas message

Putin’s message came after the Russian leader attended an Orthodox Christmas Eve service alone inside a Kremlin cathedral rather than joining other worshippers in public celebrations.

In his message, Putin made it clear he saw the Russian Orthodox Church as an important stabilising force for society at a time he has cast as a historical clash between Russia and the West.

Putin said, “It is deeply gratifying to note the enormous constructive contribution of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations in unifying society, preserving our historical memory, educating youth and strengthening the institution of family.”

“Church organisations prioritise … supporting our warriors taking part in the special military operation (in Ukraine). Such massive, complex and truly selfless work deserves sincere respect.”

The Russian defence ministry has responded to claims of its own forces breaching its self-declared ceasefire with allegations of Ukrainian forces shelling civilian areas.

Kyiv has not responded to these latest allegations. Ukrainian forces refused to recognise the Russian ceasefire, calling it ‘a banal trick’.

Accounts of artillery fire and fighting have been widely reported through the Christmas ‘ceasefire’, including across positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and in the southern region of Kherson.

Air raid sirens have also been sounding across Ukraine, including in the capital Kyiv.

In its daily briefing, the Russian defence ministry said its troops had only returned artillery fire when fired upon by Ukrainian forces.

Governor for the eastern Donetsk region, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said on Telegram that two civilians were killed in Bakhmut and the nearby town of Krasna Hora on Friday.

Seven others have been wounded, he added.