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Christians outside of Ukraine have been paying close attention to the crisis attack so far and this is why.
With Russia’s President Vladimir Putin attack to invade and occupy the large, religious and democratic country of Ukraine, it is time for all Christinas world wide to send their prayers to God for the protection and peace of his children in Ukraine.
As the horrific invasion worsens, here are some facts all Christians should know about Ukraine.
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1. Ukraine is one of the most Christian countries in Europe — and Christians there urgently need our prayers.
Of Ukraine’s 43 million citizens, 78% identify as members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, up from 39% in 1991. About 10% identify as Roman Catholics. Only 2% are Evangelical Christians, yet Evangelicals play an influential role in Ukrainian government and society.
“Ukraine has become the epicenter of a global spiritual battle,” said Pavel Unguryan, coordinator of Ukraine’s National Prayer Breakfast, told Christianity Today.
“Today, as never before, our nation needs unity, peace, and the authority of God’s Word.”
As we are all servants and children of God we ask every Christian to pray for the land and citizens of Ukraine for them to be brave and bold in their witness for Christ.
2. Jews also urgently need our prayers. Approximately 200,000 Jews still live in Ukraine
Today about 500,000 Israelis are from Ukraine or have Ukrainian roots. Most Jews from Ukraine fled to the Jewish state when the Soviet Union imploded in 1991. However since Putin invaded Crimea in 2014, about 19,000 Jews have made aliyah to Israel from Ukraine.
As you pray for the Christinas of Ukraine, also send your prayers to the Jewish community to be safe and courageous.
3. Putin believes Ukraine is Russian sovereign territory — that’s why he’s willing to initiate the biggest land war in Europe since World War II, just to get what he wants.
While Putin has been saying this for years, nobody really paid much attention to it. But now Putin is putting horrible actions behind his words.
Putin claimed that “Ukraine is not even a state” but rather “a part of [Russian] territory in Eastern Europe.” This comment was made in 2008 at the NATO summit in Bucharest in 2008
“As I have said many times already, we are one people. Kiev is the mother of Russian cities. Ancient Rus is our common source and we cannot live without each other.”
One of Putin’s long time trusted advisors, Vladislav Surkov emphasized that Moscow needed to invade and re-occupy all of Ukraine, stating that there is no such thing as an independent Ukraine.
“I am proud that I was part of the reconquest [of Crimea]. This was the first open geopolitical counter-attack by Russia [against the West] and such a decisive one,” he said. “That was an honor for me… Could it have been done better? Of course it could… But we have got what we have got.”
