Ukraine has changed the date of its official Christmas holiday to December 25, breaking with the Russian Orthodox Church’s celebration of the holiday on January 7.
The law that President Volodymyr Zelensky approved reveals the widening gap between Moscow and Kyiv churches since Russia invaded its pro-Western neighbor.
According to legislation passed, Ukraine has shifted its official Christmas holiday to 25 December, breaking with the Russian Orthodox Church, which celebrates it on 7 January.
The bill, approved by President Volodymyr Zelensky, underscores the growing schism between churches in Kyiv and Moscow since Russia’s invasion of its pro-Western neighbor.
Ukraine had been under Russia’s spiritual leadership since at least the 17th century, but part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church broke with Moscow in 2019 over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in the east of their country.
The Russia-backed branch of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church also said it had severed ties with Moscow in May 2022.
The decision to move Christmas is the latest in a series of steps taken by Ukraine in recent years to distance itself from Moscow, such as renaming streets and towns named after Soviet figures.
Meanwhile, Russia has announced that it intercepted two Ukrainian missiles over its southern Rostov region bordering Ukraine, with at least a dozen people injured by debris falling on Taganrog.
Since Moscow initiated its military assault in February last year, regions bordering Ukraine have experienced regular drone strikes and shelling, but have rarely been targeted by missiles.
“Russian air defense equipment detected and intercepted the Ukrainian missile in the air.” “The debris of the downed Ukrainian missile landed on Taganrog territory,” Russia’s defense ministry stated in a statement.
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