DESPITE the order, which was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin, air raid sirens still sounded across the Ukrainian capital, although no explosions were reported.
The 36-hour long ceasefire was made to coincide with the Orthodox Christmas, which is celebrated across both Ukraine and Russia.
Kyiv has not clarified whether its forces would join with the temporary peace, while Moscow didn’t say if its own troops would retaliate should Ukraine keep fighting.
Russia’s ceasefire started at 12pm on Friday and is due to continue through to midnight (Moscow time) on Saturday.
Hours after the ceasefire started, Kyiv residents ventured out into a light dusting of snow to buy gifts, cakes and groceries for Christmas Eve family celebrations.
President Putin’s announcement that the Kremlin’s troops would stop fighting along the more than 1,000-kilometre (680-mile) front line and elsewhere was unexpected.
It came after the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, proposed a cease-fire for the Christmas holiday.
