MOSCOW, January 6. /TASS/. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev believes that Kiev has rejected ‘the hand of Christian mercy’ by refusing Moscow's proposed Christmas truce. However, according to him, this situation will pose ‘less trouble and slyness’ to the Russian armed forces.

"A hand of Christian mercy was extended to the Ukrainians on the great holiday (Christmas, which is celebrated in Russia on January 7 - TASS). Their (Kiev’s - TASS) leaders rejected it. I think most of our servicemen taking part in the special military operation exhaled when they heard the refusal <...> to cease fire on Christmas Day. Less problems and slyness," the politician wrote on Friday on his Telegram channel.

Medvedev noted that he felt sorry for the people who were deprived of the opportunity to go to church. "But pigs have no faith and no innate sense of gratitude. They understand only brute force," he noted.

On Thursday, the Kremlin press service reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed that a ceasefire regime be imposed along the entire line of contact in the zone of the special military operation from 12:00 on January 6 until 24:00 on January 7. Later, the Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergey Shoygu issued a corresponding order. In their turn, the Ukrainian authorities reacted negatively to the idea of a ceasefire for Christmas.