President Zelensky of Ukraine said the front lines had seen artillery fire and drone attacks, and that his troops were responding. Russia accused Ukraine of breaking the cease-fire.

In January 2023, Mr Putin had ordered his forces in Ukraine to observe a unilateral, 36-hour cease-fire for Orthodox Christmas. Mr Zelensky had stopped short of stating his forces would reject Putin’s request, but dismissed the Russian move as playing for time to regroup its invasion forces and prepare additional attacks.