LVIV, Ukraine – As rumors of war plague Ukraine, the Christians of this country are watching and praying to God for their future.
Undeterred by western warnings of an imminent invasion by the Russian regime, Gennady Mohnenko and local pastors met for a time of prayer at the foot of a cross that overlooks the Sea of Azov in Ukraine’s eastern city of Mariupol.
Just five miles from them is the frontline of an ongoing war of Russian aggression that has killed some 14,000 people since 2014. And now with 150,000 Russian troops amassed along the border, Ukrainians know the threat from Moscow looms larger than ever.
This morning, Moscow claims military drills in Russia-annexed Crimea have ended. State television showed images of military units crossing a bridge in Crimea. The West remains skeptical, and some are calling the images a ruse.
Russia’s president is demanding security guarantees from the West, including a pledge to never allow Ukraine to join NATO – an issue he told Germany’s chancellor he wants resolved immediately.
Meanwhile, Ukraine was hit by a cyberattack on early Tuesday that briefly caused outages at national banks and the Ministry of Defense. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the hacking incident, but it reportedly caused serious damage.
With the potential of conflict still in the air, Ukraine’s president has declared Wednesday – the day some suggested a Russian invasion could happen – a day of unity.
He’s called on his countrymen to display the national flag and wear blue and yellow ribbons, representing the colors of the flag, as a way to show the country’s united resolve in the face of looming threats.
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