Ukrainians are skeptical of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order for a unilateral temporary ceasefire over Orthodox Christmas.
In Kherson, where at least four people were killed on Thursday, Pavlo Skotarenko said he doesn’t expect much to change. “They shell us every day, people die in Kherson every day. And this temporary measure won’t change anything.”
Skotarenko is an entrepreneur and spoke to CNN by phone.
He believes even if the Russian military leadership sticks to the temporary ceasefire, the troops on the ground will not. “Their soldiers here on the ground will continue to fire mortars. The provocations will happen for sure.”
“The only positive thing from this possible ceasefire is that our guys may have a day or two for rest and reset,” he added.
A Ukrainian soldier on the front lines in the eastern Luhansk region, who goes by the call sign Archer, told CNN by phone that the announcement looks like an effort to clean up Russia’s image. “I do not think that this is done for some military tactical purpose, one day will not solve much. Perhaps this is done to make the image of the whole of Russia a little more human, because so many atrocities are constantly emerging, and this could earn them few points of support from the people.”
A soldier from the 93rd brigade Kholodnyi Yar, who did not want to give his name due to security reasons, told CNN it is hard to believe anything will come of the announcement. “As a serviceman, I don’t believe in this b*******t. I don’t think there will be any ‘silence mode’, I think they will keep shelling the same as they always do.”
Expecting any Russian promises “is self-deception,” he said.
Maxim, an engineer originally from Kharkiv, said it is a trap. “They may not shell civilian targets, but the situation at the front will be the same, maybe even aggravated. And they will try to show the West, the Ukrainian strikes in response, as a violation of the ceasefire. But nobody will fall for it.”
