Vladimir Putin attended the night mass for Orthodox Christmas in the Annunciation Cathedral, one of many churches in the Kremlin area in Moscow . The patriarch of Moscow Kirill instead celebrated the liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.
In the images broadcast by Rossija 1 TV, the Russian president can be seen in a turtleneck sweater and jacket, completely alone in the church with the celebrant .
The opposition media have underlined Putin's solitude, "released from his bunker", says Nexta, which also allows us a certain irony. " The priest is probably an FSB agent ."
Unusually "bashful" celebrations for safety reasons
The Russian president had congratulated his compatriots, "the Orthodox Christians, all those who celebrate the feast of the Nativity of Christ". The church and ecclesiastical organizations, he had added in his greeting message released by the Kremlin, "pay primary attention to the maintenance of inter-ethnic and inter-religious peace and harmony in our country, take care of those who need help, maintain our soldiers participating in a special military operation».
For the occasion, urged by Patriarch Kirilli, he had also ordered a 36-hour unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine, a move criticized by both Kiev and Washington. A truce that has been repeatedly violated by both sides , on the other hand Ukraine had never said it accepted it, on the contrary: "There will be a truce only when Russia withdraws from our territories", he replied.
In the meantime , NATO countries are speeding up the supply of weapons to Ukraine right now. American National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Francesco Talò, the diplomatic advisor to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, also spoke about this in an interview that was reported by the White House. Olaf Scholz within the first quarter of the year will send 40 Marder armored vehicles and Patriot missile systems. The US has announced the sending of Bradley tanks and has announced that this supply will be part of a new three billion dollar package to strengthen Ukraine's combat capabilities.
