Russian soldiers in Mariupol
Two Russian soldiers patrol in the Mariupol drama theatre, bombed last March 16, in Mariupol on April 12, 2022 ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images

KEY POINTS

  • Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had not received any ceasefire proposals from Kyiv
  • Peskov pressed Ukrainian President Zelensky to accept "realities" on the ground to achieve peace
  • Zelensky urged Russia to halt its hostilities and withdraw its troops from Ukraine by Christmas

Russia is not backing down from its special military operation against Ukraine in the upcoming holidays, according to Kremlin.

When asked whether Moscow would pause the war during the holidays, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin's spokesperson, said Moscow had not received any proposals for a ceasefire from Kyiv.

"No, no proposals have been received from anyone, and no topic of this kind is on the agenda," Peskov said, the Moscow Times reported.

Peskov insisted that there would be no peace agreement between the two countries until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accepts the "new realities" in the ground, referring to Russia's annexation of the four Ukrainian regions.

The Kremlin official has also called Zelensky's proposals to G7 leaders in achieving peace in Ukraine "steps to the continuation of combat activities," according to The Washington Post.

Kremlin's response came after Zelensky urged Russia, during a video conference with the G7 leaders, to end the aggression and withdraw its troops by Christmas.

Zelensky has also proposed convening a "Global Peace Formula Summit" to determine the timetable and implementation of his Ukrainian peace formula.

But despite offering a diplomatic route to end the war, Zelensky insisted that Ukraine needed more advanced weapons to fight Russia.

As the war in Ukraine drags on during the winter holidays, both countries are preparing to endure freezing temperatures on the battlefield.

Newsweek reported that Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov declared that the country's armed forces have no plans of stopping their operations during the winter.

Before winter came, several Western countries, such as the U.S., Canada, Germany and Norway, provided Ukraine with winter combat clothing.

Oleh, a Ukrainian territorial defender, told NPR that weapons and equipment from the West have proved to be critical in countering Russian attacks.

On the other hand, some Russian conscripts have complained about the lack of military supplies amid the prevailing cold temperatures.

On Russian social media, many have attempted to provide their troops with basic needs, such as clothing, medicine and food.

Russia has been allegedly outsourcing its production of military equipment and winter clothing to China since their current set of uniforms is not optimized for subzero weather conditions.

Russian soldiers walks along a street in Mariupol, Ukraine in a campaign to take the strategic port city.
Russian soldiers walks along a street in Mariupol, Ukraine in a campaign to take the strategic port city. AFP / Alexander NEMENOV