The Ukraine election standoff interferes with a church planting outreach.

Ukraine (MNN)–Ukraine’s Parliament approved a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich.

Their move will force the outgoing President Leonid Kuchma to dismiss his government and appoint an interim one. While on the surface it appears to be a power move, it was really an effort to bring the recent election conflict to a non-violent end.

Accusations of voter fraud have thrust the election results before the country’s highest court and may force one of two responses. Either the country will endure a totally new election, or voters will re-vote.

Russian Ministries’ Sergey Rakhuba hopes the standoff ends soon. “We have original evangelism and church-planting center and we have eight workers there. Their families are in the streets (protesting). Their churches are also involved in all of those meetings outside. They spend days and nights there with the crowds in downtown Kiev.”

Rakhuba urges prayer for the churches and outreaches. “Churches got split by this election because in many places, the younger generation would support Victor Yushchenko who is a pro-western kind of guy. The older generation, that remembers Communism and all the dependency on the State, would support Victor Yanukovich.”

Even though there is dissention, many churches are also using the opportunity to minister to physical needs and to share the hope of Christ with those in the square.