Ukraine (MNN) — Early Thursday morning, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Air raid sirens sounded in the capital Kyiv. Explosions rocked the city early Friday morning. Civilians have taken shelter in basements and subway stations amid missile strikes from land and from ships in the Black Sea. Hundreds of casualties have been reported, both soldiers and civilians.
Russian forces took some strategic locations inside Ukraine, such as the Chernobyl exclusion zone and an airport near Kyiv. However, Ukraine reported retaking the airport later in the day. U.S. officials say Russian forces plan to surround Kyiv and topple the government.
Sanctions
The United States, United Kingdom, and numerous other countries have condemned the attack, preparing severe economic sanctions as a response. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims the operation is responding to threats from Ukraine. The West denied this claim, calling the attacks unjustified.
Early Friday morning, the European Union announced sanctions targeting Russia’s energy, financial, and transport sectors. The sanctions are designed to prevent wealthy Russians from accessing the EU economy.
TWR
Frank Stephenson with Trans World Radio says, “We really haven’t had this kind of conflict or threat in generations. Many people are praying, and it’s good that we continue to pray for the situation. And prayer is not just some hopeful words. We talk to the Almighty God and, and He is ultimately the Alpha and Omega, the One in control.”
TWR contacts in Ukraine are safe, and they still have open communication. But U.S. officials say this is only the first step in the invasion. Join believers in Ukraine, Russia, and around the world as they cry out against this violence.
A contact in Ukraine told Stephenson, “Prayer is stronger than rockets.”
Stephenson says, “We can especially pray that the Christians will be agents of peace and point people to Christ. Because if people have Christ transforming their lives change automatically happens.”
Pray for the political leaders involved as well, Stephenson says. “We may, from a human perspective, despise or hate certain people. But what is the Lord call us to do? He calls us to uplift them in prayer. It’s really valid for us to pray that they would recognize the living God, and base their decisions on that.”
The header photo shows the aftermath of a missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of Arrikel, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)
