PUTIN has broken his own ceasefire as rockets pummeled Ukrainian cities today.
The tyrant had instructed his defence minister Sergei Shoigu to introduce a ceasefire regime along the entire line of contact from midday on January 6 to midnight on January 7.
But just hours after the 36-hour truce was set to start, rockets hit the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, Ukrainian officials said.
Ukraine said shelling could also still be heard in the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said Kramatorsk was also struck.
He said: "The occupiers hit the city with rockets twice.
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"They talk about a ceasefire. This is who we are at war with."
In Kherson, a fire station and other buildings were shelled shortly before the so-called ceasefire – leaving at least one dead and more injured.
But Moscow accused Ukraine of being behind the shelling, claiming its forces are abiding by the ceasefire
Putin had called for the ceasefire to coincide with Orthodox Christmas celebrations, which traditionally take place on January 7.
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Shoigu demanded Ukraine mirror the ceasefire and allow combatants to attend Christmas services during the break.
But Ukraine hit back at "hypocrite" Vlad with a brutal response.
On Twitter President Zelensky's advisor, Mykhailo Podolyak wrote: "First. Ukraine does not attack foreign territory and does not kill the civilian population, as Russia does.
"Ukraine only destroys members of the occupation army on its territory… Second.
"The Russian Federation must leave the occupied territories – only then will a "temporary truce" begin.
"Leave the hypocrisy to yourself…"
There were fears the ceasefire may have been an attempt by Vlad to amass more troops and move his military equipment into Belarus.
Russia has already lost thousands of troops, tanks and helicopters in the shambolic invasion that has now rolled on for 11 months.
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