Little let-up in fighting as Ukraine, Russia mark Orthodox Christmas

Security was tight around the monastery. Worshippers had their passports checked and had to walk through metal detectors.

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THE DOMINANT RELIGION

In Russia and Ukraine, Orthodox Christianity is the dominant religion and used to be seen as one of the strongest bonds tying the nations.

Ukrainians have now largely turned their backs on the Russian Orthodox Church, whose head Patriarch Kirill has backed the invasion.

Even the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has sought to distance itself from Russia. But the branch has still come under pressure from Ukrainian authorities.

The security service last year raided the Lavra, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, over suspected links to Russian agents.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine was established in 2018. The Moscow Patriarchate does not recognise the new church.

On Saturday, the general staff of Ukraine\'s armed forces said that Russia launched one missile strike and fired 20 rounds from multiple rocket launchers over the past 24 hours.

In the eastern region of Donetsk, two people died and seven were wounded, while in the southern region of Kherson one person lost his life and another seven were injured Friday, said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Ukraine\'s presidency.

\"Peaceful settlements in the region were attacked with artillery, anti-aircraft guns, mortars and tanks,\" said Yaroslav Yanushevych, the head of the Kherson regional administration.

Ukraine has dismissed the ceasefire - due to last until the end of Saturday - as a tactic by Russia to gain time to regroup its forces and bolster its defences following a series of battlefield setbacks.

\"GOOD DEEDS\"

Mr Putin\'s order to stop fighting during the Orthodox Christmas came after Moscow suffered its worst loss of life yet, with Ukrainian strikes killing 89 troops in the eastern town of Makiivka.

In a message released by the Kremlin on Saturday, Mr Putin congratulated Orthodox Christians, saying the holiday inspired \"good deeds and aspirations.\"

He also praised the Orthodox Church and said it was \"supporting our soldiers taking part in a special military operation,\" using the official Kremlin term for the offensive in Ukraine.

\"Such great, multifaceted, truly ascetic work deserves the most sincere respect,\" he added.

Patriarch Kirill has called on believers to support pro-Russian \"brothers\" as Moscow\'s offensive push in eastern Ukraine continues.

In a sermon last year, he said that dying in Ukraine \"washes away all sins\".