Russia's 36-hour cease-fire begins; Zelenskyy rejects pause as a 'cover' to advantage Russian troops - CNBC

The Baltic federation of Estonia is allocating much than 900,000 euros to instrumentality down Soviet-era monuments acceptable up each implicit the state portion it was a portion of the Soviet Union, the Poland-based Belarusian quality bureau Nexta reported.

Estonia has been an ardent protagonist of Ukraine against Russia's invasion. It is simply a subordinate of NATO and the EU.

— Natasha Turak

Artillery shelling is continuing successful parts of eastbound Ukraine contempt a purported unilateral Russian ceasefire declared by Vladimir Putin, aggregate quality outlets are reporting.

"One witnesser successful the Russian-occupied determination superior Donetsk, adjacent to the front, described outgoing artillery fired from pro-Russian positions connected the city's outskirts aft the truce was meant to instrumentality effect," quality bureau Reuters wrote.

Russia's defence ministry besides says that shelling from Ukraine is continuing. Ukraine has refused to instrumentality portion successful the ceasefire, calling it hypocritical and a screen to let much reinforcements for Russian troops portion preventing Ukrainian forces to advance.

— Natasha Turak

Russia's cease-fire, ordered by Putin for Russian Orthodox Christmas connected Jan. 7, began officially astatine noon Moscow time.

"At noon today, the ceasefire authorities came into unit connected the full interaction line. It volition proceed until the extremity of 7 January," Russia's authorities Channel One quality announced.

The determination is seen by galore arsenic a accidental to fto Russian soldiers remainder and recuperate and to forestall Ukrainian troops from making territorial gains. Ukraine has rejected the cease-fire, likening it to a trap aimed astatine giving Russian forces an advantage.

— Natasha Turak

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed a connection from Russian President Vladimir Putin for a impermanent cease-fire during Orthodox Christmas connected Jan. 7, calling it a screen to halt Ukrainian forces' advances and bring successful much reinforcements for Russian troops.

"They present privation to usage Christmas arsenic a cover, albeit briefly, to halt the advances of our boys successful Donbas and bring equipment, ammunition and mobilized troops person to our positions," Zelenskyy said successful his nightly video address. "What volition that springiness them? Only yet different summation successful their full losses."

Zelenskyy spoke successful Russian alternatively than Ukrainian, and said that a existent cease-fire meant "ending your country's aggression … And the warfare volition extremity either erstwhile your soldiers permission oregon we propulsion them out."

Many person pointed retired that Russia did not connection a cease-fire connected on Dec. 25, which is celebrated by galore Orthodox Ukrainians, oregon for the caller year. New Year's Eve saw Russia attacking cities successful Ukraine with drone strikes, taking retired powerfulness infrastructure and destroying residential buildings.

— Natasha Turak

The Pentagon said that the Bradley Fighting Vehicles volition supply Ukraine with an vantage connected the battlefield but declined to elaborate connected however the armored vehicles would beryllium equipped and however agelong grooming would take.

It was besides unclear however galore Bradleys the U.S. would nonstop to Ukraine and however agelong it would instrumentality for the tracked armored vehicles to marque their debut connected the battlefield against Russia.

The White House is slated to denote the adjacent information assistance bundle connected Friday.

Pentagon Press Secretary U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said that the Bradleys volition supply "a level of firepower and armor that volition bring advantages connected the battlefield arsenic Ukraine continues to support their homeland."

— Amanda Macias

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said it was up to Ukraine if they privation to enactment successful Russia's projected truce.

Price said that the U.S. has "little religion successful the intentions down this announcement," adding that Russia has antecedently breached specified promises.

"We cognize amended than to instrumentality thing we spot oregon perceive from Russia astatine look value. Unfortunately, they person fixed america nary crushed to instrumentality thing that they connection astatine look value," Price added.

Earlier connected Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin projected a impermanent ceasefire.

The cease-fire would let Orthodox Christians successful Russia and Ukraine to observe Christmas services.

— Amanda Macias