Tuesday (Feb. 24) marks the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. Valerii Antoniuk, president of the Ukrainian Baptist Union, marked the occasion in a video message.
“Dear brothers and sisters, for four years now, our country has lived under full-scale war, and for 12 years, we have endured armed aggression by Russia against Ukraine,” Antoniuk stated in the video.
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The armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine began Feb. 20, 2014, when the Russian military entered Crimea, followed by the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Eastern Ukraine. Ukrainians managed to stop the advance and liberate part of the territory.
The current full-scale conflict in Ukraine began Feb. 24, 2022, when Russian military forces entered the country from Belarus, Russia and Crimea. Much of the conflict is linked to Russia-backed separatists seeking to break away from Ukrainian control with the support of the Russian Federation.
Results of the war
The conflict has resulted in the mass displacement of over 20,000 children, deaths and torture of various priests, and nearly 700 churches damaged or destroyed.
A study conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies indicates the number of Russian and Ukrainian troops killed, wounded or missing during the last four years of war is on track to reach two million by this spring.
“Every day, we hear air raid sirens,” Antoniuk said in the video. “Pain, cold and death have become daily realities. Yet, we live in a country where God continues to reveal his mercy and his power.”
Antoniuk explained how, in 2022, the world watched as Russia attempted to “swallow Ukraine whole.” And yet, Ukraine has persisted in fighting against Russia, he said. “We prayed, and we fought,” he added.
As the first days of invasion passed, turning into weeks and months of Ukrainian resilience, “across continents, people saw how God was defending Ukraine,” Antoniuk continued.
“Contrary to political forecasts, contrary to the enemy’s bloody ambitions, Ukraine has not been broken. The church has not fallen silent, has not stopped, and we have not surrendered,” Antoniuk said.
Ukrainian Baptists respond
Igor Bandura, vice president for international affairs with the Ukrainian Baptist Union, addressed the importance of prayer on this anniversary: “On Feb. 24, Ukraine’s National Day of Prayer, our churches will gather for special services of remembrance, lament, thanksgiving and fervent intercession,” he said.
“We see collective prayer as a powerful act of faith, dependence on God and spiritual resistance, trusting him to bring justice, healing and restoration. … Prayer is our most powerful resource and greatest comfort [during this season],” Bandura continued.
“The devastation is profound — nearly 700 churches of all denominations, including Baptist ones, have been damaged or completely destroyed across Ukraine, with … heavy losses in occupied territories where [Christians] face persecution, forced registration under Russian control, or outright closure,” Bandura stated.
Even so, Bandura believes hope is found in Christ: “Yet, resilience flows from our unwavering trust in Christ’s ultimate victory over evil.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Faith Pratt and originally published by Baptist Standard.
