Why did Putin declare a temporary cease-fire with Ukraine?

What was Putin really up to when he proposed a Christmas truce between Russian and Ukrainian forces? Check out today's spectacular new narrative to learn about Putin's hidden agenda! 😉😈🔪

The Russia-Ukraine war experienced an unexpected development while the rest of the world was still recovering from hangovers and eating turkey sandwiches. Vladimir Putin requested a Christmas truce despite not typically being a cheerful person. When the news was delivered to him, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy nearly choked on his varenyky. He remarked, "What gall that man has.” Before we untangle this web, you need to know some fundamental facts. Was Putin really in the mood for peace, showing the world his more compassionate side, or was this proposed ceasefire cooked up with the darkest of intentions, coming from a man very well known for his seemingly limitless cunning and deceitful nature? Christmas in Russia is not the same as it is for most of you.

Things are a little different because the nation practices Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The same holds true for all eastern Orthodox Christians, including those in Ukraine. The straightforward explanation is that they use the Julian calendar, which Julius Caesar introduced in 45 BC and bases Christmas time on. The Gregorian calendar, named for Pope Gregory XIII, is used by the majority of people. Putin therefore considered a 36-hour window beginning on January 6 when he called for a temporary truce. While Putin has claimed to be an Eastern Orthodox, it's important to note that no one is certain of the extent of his devotion to God and everything related to him. He might just be acting out his piety. He might adhere to Christianity merely to preserve a particular public perception.

Just before Christmas last year, the Kremlin sent a message to the populace thanking the church for strengthening the institution of the family, bringing society together, and preserving our historical memory. That is what we mean when we talk about presenting a particular public image. While many religious leaders around the world speak in this manner about their faith, this does not necessarily imply that they live up to their words in their personal lives. With that in mind, you might wonder if Putin was trying to appear religious during Christmas, but in reality, he was calculating all the ways that appearing religious can benefit him in terms of both war and public relations—not the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for the benefit of humanity. We can't be certain. Putin's views on Christianity are only known to him.

We can say that having religion on his side has made his war in Ukraine much simpler. Most Ukrainians don't think Putin is the kind of person to wish everyone well, not at Christmas and not at any other time of the year. Given that so many people in Russia and elsewhere are orthodox Christians; many people believe that Putin uses religion to win support. He is aware that you require the support of God to invade nations. Ask the majority of the heads of conflicting nations throughout history and today. When the Big Man gives the go-ahead, war is a good thing. Putin needs God as young Russian soldiers lose their lives and suffer serious injuries on the battlefield in the tens of thousands, possibly more than 100,000 so far.

At Christmas, he must project a devout air and speak of goodwill and peace. Bear in mind that Russia also likes to believe that it is defending the Orthodox Christians in Ukraine. Putin would have been insane if he had not openly supported Christianity last Christmas, when all is said and done. It was absolutely required from a political strategy standpoint. After Putin announced the potential ceasefire, that is precisely what the Ukrainian leadership believed. They referred to the cease-fire as a cunning trap and just another propaganda gambit. They had little faith in Putin's offer of a temporary truce. You'll see that they had a good reason to believe that. We should first introduce a powerful Russian figure that Putin unquestionably needs on his side before we discuss that.

Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev is the so-called patriarch of Moscow and all of Russia. He is the top dog in Russia's religious hierarchy and is also known as His Holiness. Russian Christians have not had it easy over the past century. Many of them were persecuted and murdered by the Communists while Lenin and Stalin were in power. Millions of Christians have died by execution over the years. The persecution didn't truly end until the fall of communism in Russia. Therefore, it makes sense that church leaders in Russia, particularly the more senior ones, are a little leery of the government. Gundyayev still supports Putin wholeheartedly.

Let's not kid ourselves into thinking Putin wasn't the one who had the idea—he was the one who made the call for the cease-fire. It is rumored that Gundyayev once had connections with the KGB, the company Putin worked for before entering politics. For many years, they've maintained their friendship. These days, Gundyayev is important to Putin's politics. They are as snug as a bug in a rug, as the saying goes, with Russia serving as the rug. They get together frequently to conduct business. Gundyayev offered the entire church's support when Russia invaded Syria. Putin has made amends in kind by tolerating Gundyayev's use of a private yacht and the fact that he was photographed donning a watch estimated to be worth $30,000 as well.

Simply put, these two men are working together in a way that benefits them both. If one of them pulled their support, it would hurt them both severely. But the proposed Christmas truce is evidence that won't happen. The use of the church in this war is clearly demonstrated. Gundyayev spoke publicly about the forces of evil in Ukraine at the beginning of the conflict. Later in the year, when Ukraine was successful in its counteroffensive and numerous Russian young men were being evacuated in body bags, Gundyayev reaffirmed to the populace that each and every one of the fallen soldiers had made a sacrifice that atoned for sin. Such statements have been made by religious leaders for centuries. Again, this is the reason Putin was so pious-looking during the Christmas season: he needs such words.

As we previously stated, Ukrainians already hold the Russian church leader to be Putin's wartime aide, and the two collaborate to spread propaganda. The Russian Orthodox Church, according to one of President Zelensky's top advisors, is nothing more than a war propagandist posing as a compassionate organization, he claimed as soon as the announcement of the ceasefire was made public. He continued by saying that this is the same church that supported the militarization of the Russian Federation and called for the genocide in Ukraine. Ukraine did not merely reject the cease-fire; instead, it said, "You can stick it up your yagoditsy rear end.” They were aware of Putin's thoughts regarding public opinion toward holiday truces.

Putin is well aware that when news of the unofficial Christmas truces that occurred on the front lines in Europe during World War I, when British and German soldiers met up in peace in No Man's Land to talk about football and exchange cigarettes, the entire world sobbed. The declaration of a cease-fire was meant to be a potent piece of propaganda, inspiring people all over the world to recall tales of enemies getting along for a day during the height of the bloody carnage. The gesture, according to Ukraine, was not only empty but also an insult to anyone who genuinely wants peace. According to the officials of the nation, after Putin declared a cease-fire, his troops were engaged in gunfire with Ukrainian troops on fronts in the east and south.

These shellings occurred just hours after the Kremlin announced as a significant number of Orthodox Christians live in the area of hostilities, we call on the Ukrainian side to declare a ceasefire to allow them to attend church services on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. If he was sincere about the truce, wouldn't his troops at least temporarily cease fire? The Kherson region governor reported a strike on a fire station that left one rescuer dead and four others injured around the time those shellings were taking place. Additionally, according to Ukrainian officials, strikes in the eastern city of Kramatorsk destroyed a large number of buildings.