Russia-Ukraine war latest updates: Moscow and Kyiv trade blame over fighting

Fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces carried on despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unilateral declaration of a 36-hour cease-fire that started at noon Friday to mark the Orthodox Christmas holiday. Moscow and Kyiv blamed each other for the continued shelling.

“I can tell you we see fighting today in Ukraine, even though technically we’re in the cease-fire window,” said Laura Cooper, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia. “So, once again, it’s a statement from Putin that we have to take with a grain of salt,” Cooper said about the cease-fire declaration. “This is the same man who said he would not invade Ukraine.”