SO MUCH FOR PEACE
Putin BREAKS his own 36hr ceasefire as war-torn Ukrainian towns are bombarded with shells after despot’s ‘truce’ call
PUTIN has broken his own ceasefire as Ukrainian towns have been bombarded with shelling.
The tyrant had instructed his defence minister Sergei Shoigu to introduce a ceasefire regime along the "entire line of contact" from midday on January 6 to midnight on January 7.
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But just hours after the 36-hour truce was set to start, Ukraine said shelling could also still be heard in the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said Kramatorsk was also struck.
He said: "The occupiers hit the city with rockets twice.
"They talk about a ceasefire. This is who we are at war with."
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Rockets slammed into a residential building in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk close to the eastern frontline, damaging 14 homes but with no casualties, the mayor said.
Residents described witnessing several explosions.
In Kherson, a fire station and other buildings were shelled shortly before the so-called ceasefire - leaving at least one dead and more injured.
Russia's defence ministry said its troops began observing the ceasefire from midday Moscow time (9am GMT) but accused Ukraine of shelling populated areas and military positions.
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Putin had called for the ceasefire to coincide with Orthodox Christmas celebrations, which traditionally take place on January 7.
Shoigu demanded Ukraine mirror the ceasefire and allow combatants to attend Christmas services during the break.
But Ukraine hit back at "hypocrite" Vlad with a brutal response.
On Twitter President Zelensky's advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak wrote: "First. Ukraine does not attack foreign territory and does not kill the civilian population, as Russia does.
"Ukraine only destroys members of the occupation army on its territory... Second.
"The Russian Federation must leave the occupied territories - only then will a "temporary truce" begin.
"Leave the hypocrisy to yourself..."
There were fears the ceasefire may have been an attempt by Vlad to amass more troops and move his military equipment into Belarus.
Russia has already lost thousands of troops, tanks and helicopters in the shambolic invasion that has now rolled on for 11 months.
It comes after Putin blamed his own troops for a Ukraine missile attack in occupied Donbas.
Kremlin chiefs admitted at least 89 soldiers were killed in the strike, which happened just after midnight on New Year’s Day.
However, the real toll is likely to be far higher.
Ukraine said 400 died with another 300 wounded while pro-war Russian pundits said hundreds were killed and injured in the strike.
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Russia’s Defence Ministry said the cause of the strike was “obvious” and blamed the “turning on and massive use of mobile phones” within range of Ukraine’s artillery.