Kremlin-ordered truce uncertain amid mutual mistrust

The Russian-declared truce in the nearly 11-month war began at 12pm on Friday and will continue until midnight on Sunday local time

A local resident runs past a burning house hit by Russian shelling in Kherson, Ukraine, on the Orthodox Christmas Eve (Libkos/AP)

The impact of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order for his forces in Ukraine to observe a unilateral, 36-hour ceasefire is in doubt after Kyiv officials dismissed the move as a ploy – and did not clarify whether Ukrainian troops will follow suit.

Moscow did not say whether it will hit back if Ukraine keeps fighting.