Igor Strelkov

Igor Girkin, also known by the alias Igor Strelkov ("Shooter") is one of the main pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. He was convicted a few months ago for shooting down flight MH17 in 2014.

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

Russia announced a Christmas truce in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a Christmas truce across the entire front in Ukraine from noon tomorrow until midnight on January 7.

Russia on Monday said more than 60 soldiers were killed in a Ukrainian strike on Russian-controlled territory in a New Year assault, the biggest loss of life reported by Moscow so far.

Kiev took responsibility for the strike, which it said took place in the occupied city of Makiivka in eastern Ukraine on New Year's Eve.

Russian services blamed Ukraine for the murder of Darya Dugina, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.

According to Russia's Federal Security Service, "the crime was prepared and carried out by the Ukrainian special services."

The FSB revealed the murder of Russian journalist Darya Dugina, the Federal Security Service said in a statement.

Critics who largely support Russia's invasion of Ukraine see Putin's government as the main culprit for the military's poor preparation ahead of the war, the high number of dead Russian soldiers and slow progress on the ground.

The Novorossiya Movement, an organisation run by notorious Russian army veteran Igor Strelkov, has given Serbian citizen Stevan Milosevic its 'Protector of Novorossiya' award for fighting on the pro-Russian separatist side in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Relatives of MH17 crash victims have filed a nearly $900 million suit against a one-time leader of Ukranian insurgents over the shooting down of the jet over the rebel-held east of the country last year.