Ukraines General Staff Opposing Temporary Ceasefire On New Years Day

 Kiev is not planning a temporary ceasefire on New Year's Day and believes that a complete cessation of hostilities is possible only after the Russian military leaves Ukraine, the deputy chief of the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces, Oleksii Gromov, said on Thursday.

"It is an interesting question about the temporary ceasefire. I think that the complete ceasefire will happen only when there is no invader left on (Ukrainian) soil," Gromov told a briefing in Kiev.

On Sunday, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said that he expected a winter offensive by the Ukrainian troops to start when the ground becomes more solid.

The minister added that the success of the offensive would depend on Western support because Ukraine badly needs high-precision air defense systems.

Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian interior minister, in turn, said that the missiles which can be used with the S-300 and Buk Ukrainian air defense equipment are produced only in Russia.