In Ukraine, Despite Russian War, It's Christmas, Again
Why the 'Russian truce' is false
In the Face of False Russian Truce, Ukrainians Celebrate Christmas Eve
On Ukrainian Christmas Eve, 6 January, despite claiming to offer a truce, Russia attacked Ukraine including a rocket barrage on the oft-hit city of Kramatorsk. Still, in keeping with the idea of Christmas as the bleak midwinter festival of innocence versus evil, Ukrainians celebrate the holiday under siege.
In Western Ukraine, the Greek Catholics, loyal to Rome but eastern in ritual and style, kept the ancient Christmas traditions alive through decades of oppression from Moscow. On the old calendar, many Greek Catholics and Ukrainian Orthodox alike celebrate Christmas 7 January. The holiday begins 6 January with the "holy supper."
In the video above, on Chicago's WGN Radio, are stories of how Ukrainians celebrate Christmas, and why Russia's so-called holiday cease fire is sinister propaganda.
Plus: sights and sounds of Ukrainian Christmas before the war ... from my conversation Friday 6 January with WGN Radio's Bob Sirott, part of our Ukraine report shared every weekday since February.
—Joe Lindsley, American in Ukraine since the pandemic
In Ukraine, They Keep Christmas Like Something out of A Dickens Story. Here’s a look:
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American journalist Joe Lindsley, in Ukraine since 2020, leads the Ukrainian Freedom News team of Ukrainians and foreigners on a mission to share real talk and real life in war-time with the world. Every weekday since late February 2022, he has reported live from Ukraine on Chicago’s WGN Radio with host Bob Sirott. You can listen to all episodes at UkrainianFreedomNews.com or via our YouTube channel.
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