<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>President Vladimir Putin has blasted the West for trying to "tear apart" Russia and said in an interview aired on national television that his offensive in Ukraine aimed to "unite the Russian people".</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile in Kyiv, a day after deadly shelling in southern Ukraine, r+esidents held Christmas services on Sunday, defying Russian spiritual leaders who celebrate it on January 7.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putin has used the concept of "historical Russia" to argue that Ukrainians and Russians are one people -- undermining Kyiv's sovereignty and justifying his 10-month offensive in Ukraine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said Russia's "geopolitical opponents (were) aiming to tear apart Russia, the historical Russia".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Divide and conquer, that's what they have always sought to accomplish and are still seeking to do," Putin added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"But our goal is different: it's to unite the Russian people," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Putin declared his government was acting "in the right direction... protecting our national interests, the interests of our citizens, of our people."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He repeated that Moscow was ready to negotiate and appeared unfazed when asked about the new air defence system the United States will deliver to Ukraine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"Of course we will destroy it, 100 percent!" Putin said, referring to the Patriot missile battery promised to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>- Kherson 'terror' -</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier this week, in his first trip outside Ukraine since the offensive began, Zelensky earned firm pledges of support from US President Joe Biden, including the Pentagon's most advanced air defence system.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Western military and financial aid has been crucial for Ukraine's pushback of Russian troops -- including from Kherson, the only regional capital that was held by Russia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Despite Russia's retreat from the city, it remains within reach of Moscow's weaponry and under constant threat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Ukrainian army counted 71 strikes on the partly recaptured Kherson region on Saturday, including 41 on the city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This included deadly shelling on a busy market in the city centre that left 10 people dead and 55 injured.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Russian-installed head of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, said on Telegram the shelling was "a disgusting provocation" by Ukraine used to blame Russia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In his daily address on Sunday, Zelensky condemned Russian "terrorists" and thanked all his compatriots -- including soldiers, doctors, volunteers -- involved in defending Ukraine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Thank you... to everyone who came to Kherson to help. To save the wounded from the terrorists' strike on Christmas. Artillery and mortar against ordinary Kherson streets... monsters!" Zelensky said.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b>- Defiant Christmas -</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday, church bells pealed throughout Kyiv as Orthodox Christians attended Christmas services, in break with the Russian spiritual leaders who will mark the holiday in two weeks.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At a service in central Kyiv, worshipper Olga Stanko told AFP she supported any move that would distance Ukraine from Russia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The war has brought us so much grief," she said. "We cannot do this with Russia, remain under its influence."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Also attending the service, Olena Zakharova-Gorianska said she was happy to be celebrating Christmas on December 25 for the first time -- describing it as an obvious choice after surviving Russian occupation in the town of Gostomel, north of Kyiv.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I do not want to have anything to do with the occupiers, with the enemy," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The decision by some Ukrainian churches to observe Christmas on December 25 highlights the deepening rift between religious leaders in Kyiv and Moscow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An Interfax-Ukraine poll showed an increasing number in favour of moving the Christian holy day to December 25, jumping from 26 percent in 2021 to 44 percent in 2022, though 31 percent were still against it.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ukraine had been under Moscow'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.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In May, the Russia-backed branch of Ukraine's Orthodox Church also severed ties with Moscow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From the St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Pope Francis called for an end to the conflict.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"May the Lord... enlighten the minds of those who have the power to silence the thunder of weapons and put an immediate end to this senseless war!" the Argentine pontiff said. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>