Russian president says Moscow is keen to barter and accuses ‘geopolitical opponents’ of making an attempt to divide Russia.
President Vladimir Putin says Russia’s offensive in Ukraine is being carried out to “unite the Russian folks”.
Putin used the idea of “historic Russia” to argue in an interview to be aired on Sunday that Ukrainians and Russians are one folks as he sought to justify his 10-month offensive in Ukraine and undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Russia’s “geopolitical opponents [were] aiming to tear aside Russia, the historic Russia”, Putin mentioned in excerpts from a broadcast for Rossiya 1 nationwide tv.
“Divide and conquer, that’s what they’ve at all times sought to perform and are nonetheless looking for to do,” Putin mentioned.
“However our aim is completely different: It’s to unite the Russian folks,” the Russian president added.
Putin repeated that Moscow was prepared to barter however mentioned Ukraine and its Western allies have refused to carry talks.
Loss of life toll rises
In southern Ukraine, the demise toll from Russian assaults on the town of Kherson has risen to 16, and 64 folks have been injured, the Ukrainian army governor of the area reported on Sunday as air raid sirens sounded throughout the nation on Christmas Day.
Among the many lifeless have been three males who died whereas clearing mines, Yaroslav Yanushevych reported on Telegram.
The Ukrainian military counted 71 assaults on the partly recaptured area on Saturday, together with 41 on its major metropolitan space.
Regardless of Russia’s retreat from the town, Kherson stays inside attain of Moscow’s weaponry and below fixed risk.
‘Mindless conflict’
From St Peter’s Basilica on the Vatican on Sunday, Pope Francis appealed for an finish to the “mindless” conflict in Ukraine throughout his conventional Christmas message.
“Could the Lord encourage us to supply concrete gestures of solidarity to help all those that are struggling, and should he enlighten the minds of those that have the facility to silence the thunder of weapons and put a right away finish to this mindless conflict,” the pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church mentioned.
The Related Press new company reported on Sunday that some Ukrainians, who often rejoice Christmas on January 7, as do the Russians, have modified their custom as a response to Russia’s conflict.
The company mentioned that some Orthodox Ukrainians determined to look at the competition celebrating the delivery of Jesus Christ on December 25 like members of Western Christian church buildings.
In October, the management of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which isn’t aligned with the Russian church and is likely one of the two branches of Orthodox Christianity within the nation, agreed to permit the devoted to rejoice on December 25.
“What started on February 24, the full-scale invasion, is an awakening and an understanding that we will not be a part of the Russian world,” Olena Paliy, a 33-year-old resident of Bobrytsia close to Kyiv, informed AP.