Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday signed a law that will officially move the country’s Christmas Day holiday from early January to Dec. 25 — another way to “abandon the Russian heritage” and put distance between the two countries currently embroiled in war.
The original date of celebration, Jan. 7, falls under the Russian Orthodox calendar. The change is a reflection of Ukrainians’ aim for an independent identity from their neighbors to the east after a nearly 18-month-old aggression against the country, the exploratory note said.
Zelesnky added that it is the desire “of all Ukrainians” to find their own traditions and holidays.
The law also moved shifted holidays, such as the Day of Ukrainian Statehood and the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, to earlier dates.
The Russian Orthodox Church still uses the ancient Julian calendar versus the modern Gregorian calendar. There is a 13-day discrepancy between the two.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the move “is a sign of something that has been happening for centuries” and not related to any conflict.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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