Ukraine (MNN) — According to The Institute for the Study of War, Russia’s rapid advance in eastern Ukraine appears to be slowing as Ukraine establishes new defense lines. Nonetheless, serious concerns remain about Ukraine’s position following two years of full-scale war.
“They’re running out of munitions, they’re running out of men on the front line, and I think it’s very difficult,” Slavic Gospel Association’s Eric Mock says.
“The military is fatigued; the environment that they’re fighting in is absolutely terrible. This is mimicking things we read about in history during World War One.”
When you give toward SGA-supported Compassion Ministry, you can help churches reach out with food, hygiene supplies, and the hope of the Gospel.
(Photo courtesy of SGA)
The fog of war clouds casualty statistics. Last week, the U.K. Ministry of Defense claimed over 355,000 Russian personnel had been killed and wounded in the Ukraine war, but it’s unclear how the MoD came up with that figure.
Two weeks ago, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion, but for security purposes, he would not give the number of wounded. In August 2023, U.S. officials said around 500,000 were killed or wounded on both sides, with 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed and up to 120,000 wounded.
Believers are not immune from the despair and loss of war. For example, “a young woman and her little son were hit [by] a drone in Odessa,” Mock says.
“She was just a wonderful, godly woman who sang in the choir; she’s the daughter of an SGA-supported missionary, and the funeral was this week.”
Yet, hope remains. “Even in the middle of the despair, we’ve seen a revival; churches are overflowing with people looking for answers,” Mock says.
“Pastors had told me how difficult it was to reach people even with outreach events. Now, people are flooding into churches asking questions, hearing the Gospel, and coming to faith.”
You can help suffering Ukrainians through SGA here.
“SGA provided, since the war began, over 24 million meals, and we know that the Gospel has gone out to over a million people,” Mock says.
“In the middle of what is becoming one of the most tragic times in history for Ukraine is an amazing Gospel opportunity where people are coming to faith. Even the ones (Ukrainians) spread throughout Europe are planting churches!”
Header image depicts a shelled church in Selidovo, Ukraine, where civilians are increasingly being targeted in the war. By God’s grace, the pastor had already evacuated. This faithful servant ministers to broken lives and even opened up his home to provide shelter. Now, everything has been lost. (Photo, caption courtesy of SGA)
