UPDATE: 3/13/2014, 8:55
This article from the Kyiv Post summarizes the situation in Ukraine.
****Please continue to pray for the missionaries in Ukraine!!****
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Andriy Parubiy is warning that he has “every reason to believe” that Russian forces along Ukraine’s southern and eastern borders will invade.
“Ukraine now faces the threat of a full-scale invasion,” Parubiy said at a press conference on March 12.
He said that Ukraine would rely on military, police and a newly formed National Guard of 20,000 volunteers to protect is borders.
Parubiy estimates that more than 80,000 Russian troops have amassed along the Ukrainian border, along with as many as 270 tanks, 180 armored combat vehicles, 380 pieces of artillery, 18 rocket launchers, 140 combat aircraft, 90 military helicopters and 19 combat boats and ships.
Although the Russian government had promised to withdraw its troops conducting military drills near Ukraine’s borders, Parubiy said that the number of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border has actually increased in recent days.
On Feb. 27, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a peninsula that juts out from continental Ukraine into the Black Sea. Since then, the number of Russian troops in Crimea has steadily increased, giving the Kremlin full military control of the entire peninsula.
He said that Ukraine’s Interior Ministry is seeing the first traces of the Russian incursion into continental Ukraine: In the early hours of the morning on March 12, the Security Service of Ukraine apprehended several people in southern Kherson Oblast who were conducting “investigative intelligence activity.” Their leader was a citizen of the Russian Federation traveling under a stolen Ukrainian passport. After being arrested, he admitted that he traveled to Kherson to collect intelligence information, including the location of Ukrainian troops.
On March 11, the Security Service of Ukraine said investigators detained a Russian saboteur in the Donetsk region and accused him of preparing explosives and planning other acts of diversion.
Parubiy characterized the agitators as “special forces” who are members of the most “elite ranks of the Russian army.” In addition to trained military personnel, Parubiy counted professional actors among the agitators who have infiltrated Ukraine, saying that they had been hired to make the sabotage more convincing. He said that agitators have even infiltrated some of the many self-defense groups that have formed on Kyiv’s Independence Square.
Parubiy announced that Ukraine’s Border Service prevented 3,700 Russian citizens from entering the country under suspicion that they were sent to carry out “extremist activity.”
He noted that provocations are most likely to occur in the Kherson, Odessa, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, saying that Kherson and Odessa are subject to subversive activity because of their proximity to the Russian-backed breakaway state of Transnistria. Luhansk and Donetsk share long stretches of border with Russia.
Parubiy announced that the National Security and Defense Council on March 13 will submit a law to parliament establishing a Ukrainian National Guard in response to security threats in the south and east. The National Guard will protect Ukraine’s borders, work to ensure domestic security, and prevent terrorist activity, broadening “the functions…of the current Ministry of the Interior troops.”
Parubiy said that the National Guard will enroll 20,000 volunteers from around the country, who will begin training on March 13. Many of these will be conscripted from the self-defense forces that defended Independence Square from riot police officers for months: “We call upon all the groups that were on the Maidan” to defend Ukraine.
On March 13, the National Security and Defense Council will also submit a bill to the Verkhovna Rada calling for the armed forces to be mobilized.
Parubiy’s announcement comes after acting President Oleksandr Turchynov expressed concern about the current state of the Ukrainian military on March 11, saying that it had only about 6,000 combat-ready infantry.
Although many believe that Ukraine would be powerless to stop a Russian attack on its eastern border, Parubiy said that Ukrainian “units are now placed in such a way that we can repel an attack from any direction.”
Parubiy also used the press conference to remind the United States and the United Kingdom of their obligations as guarantors of Ukraine’s security, according to the terms of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum under which Ukraine forfeited its nuclear arsenal in return for security assurances. The West has been reluctant to intervene militarily to stop aggression and few believe that Europe and the U.S. will risk war with Russia to protect Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Kyiv Post staff writer Isaac Webb can be reached at isaac.d.webb@gmail.com or on Twitter @isaacdwebb
UPDATE: 3/8/2014, 4:41
It has been almost a week since I last gave an update of the situation in Ukraine. I will try to summarize it the best that I can.
From what I have read, the EU has promised to give 15 billion to Ukraine, that adds to the 1 billion that the US has promised to give. This is to help build the new government.
UPDATE: 3/3/2014, 9:41 pm
It was reported 10 hours ago, that Russian forces have given Ukrainian forces in Crimea till 5 am (in 15 mins) to surrender or face military "storm".
This article from the Kyiv Post summarizes the situation in Ukraine.
****Please continue to pray for the missionaries in Ukraine!!****
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Andriy Parubiy is warning that he has “every reason to believe” that Russian forces along Ukraine’s southern and eastern borders will invade.
“Ukraine now faces the threat of a full-scale invasion,” Parubiy said at a press conference on March 12.
He said that Ukraine would rely on military, police and a newly formed National Guard of 20,000 volunteers to protect is borders.
Parubiy estimates that more than 80,000 Russian troops have amassed along the Ukrainian border, along with as many as 270 tanks, 180 armored combat vehicles, 380 pieces of artillery, 18 rocket launchers, 140 combat aircraft, 90 military helicopters and 19 combat boats and ships.
Although the Russian government had promised to withdraw its troops conducting military drills near Ukraine’s borders, Parubiy said that the number of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border has actually increased in recent days.
On Feb. 27, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a peninsula that juts out from continental Ukraine into the Black Sea. Since then, the number of Russian troops in Crimea has steadily increased, giving the Kremlin full military control of the entire peninsula.
He said that Ukraine’s Interior Ministry is seeing the first traces of the Russian incursion into continental Ukraine: In the early hours of the morning on March 12, the Security Service of Ukraine apprehended several people in southern Kherson Oblast who were conducting “investigative intelligence activity.” Their leader was a citizen of the Russian Federation traveling under a stolen Ukrainian passport. After being arrested, he admitted that he traveled to Kherson to collect intelligence information, including the location of Ukrainian troops.
On March 11, the Security Service of Ukraine said investigators detained a Russian saboteur in the Donetsk region and accused him of preparing explosives and planning other acts of diversion.
Parubiy characterized the agitators as “special forces” who are members of the most “elite ranks of the Russian army.” In addition to trained military personnel, Parubiy counted professional actors among the agitators who have infiltrated Ukraine, saying that they had been hired to make the sabotage more convincing. He said that agitators have even infiltrated some of the many self-defense groups that have formed on Kyiv’s Independence Square.
Parubiy announced that Ukraine’s Border Service prevented 3,700 Russian citizens from entering the country under suspicion that they were sent to carry out “extremist activity.”
He noted that provocations are most likely to occur in the Kherson, Odessa, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, saying that Kherson and Odessa are subject to subversive activity because of their proximity to the Russian-backed breakaway state of Transnistria. Luhansk and Donetsk share long stretches of border with Russia.
Parubiy announced that the National Security and Defense Council on March 13 will submit a law to parliament establishing a Ukrainian National Guard in response to security threats in the south and east. The National Guard will protect Ukraine’s borders, work to ensure domestic security, and prevent terrorist activity, broadening “the functions…of the current Ministry of the Interior troops.”
Parubiy said that the National Guard will enroll 20,000 volunteers from around the country, who will begin training on March 13. Many of these will be conscripted from the self-defense forces that defended Independence Square from riot police officers for months: “We call upon all the groups that were on the Maidan” to defend Ukraine.
On March 13, the National Security and Defense Council will also submit a bill to the Verkhovna Rada calling for the armed forces to be mobilized.
Parubiy’s announcement comes after acting President Oleksandr Turchynov expressed concern about the current state of the Ukrainian military on March 11, saying that it had only about 6,000 combat-ready infantry.
Although many believe that Ukraine would be powerless to stop a Russian attack on its eastern border, Parubiy said that Ukrainian “units are now placed in such a way that we can repel an attack from any direction.”
Parubiy also used the press conference to remind the United States and the United Kingdom of their obligations as guarantors of Ukraine’s security, according to the terms of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum under which Ukraine forfeited its nuclear arsenal in return for security assurances. The West has been reluctant to intervene militarily to stop aggression and few believe that Europe and the U.S. will risk war with Russia to protect Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Kyiv Post staff writer Isaac Webb can be reached at isaac.d.webb@gmail.com or on Twitter @isaacdwebb
UPDATE: 3/8/2014, 4:41
It has been almost a week since I last gave an update of the situation in Ukraine. I will try to summarize it the best that I can.
From what I have read, the EU has promised to give 15 billion to Ukraine, that adds to the 1 billion that the US has promised to give. This is to help build the new government.
UPDATE: 3/3/2014, 9:41 pm
It was reported 10 hours ago, that Russian forces have given Ukrainian forces in Crimea till 5 am (in 15 mins) to surrender or face military "storm".
What will Russia do? Is this the beginning of WWIII? Is God setting everything up for the tribulation? Maybe this is God's plan. God allowed every war that has happen through time. The Revolutionary War in the US brought us a country that wanted freedom... the Civil War brought together a united country (one that would be stronger united than divided. A strong powerful country to back His people Israel). Different wars to prevent the spread of communism like, Korea, Vietnam, and WWII. But maybe God is preparing something greater. I don't want to see war happening, but many times God used wars and battles in scriptures to make things line up just as He would have them to be.
I am expecting Russia to either overtake the eastern side of Ukraine as their own (just like in Georgia), or go full force and go all the way to Kiev. I believe if they try to take Kiev that the US and EU will intervene....but will that be enough to overtake Russia?
My prayer for Ukraine is that God will have mercy on them. They need Jesus. They still need light and I pray that God would keep Ukraine open to the gospel and not take the light away. There are missionaries that are fleeing there homes and churches for safer places in Ukraine, or even in a boarding EU country. The missionary's need you to pray for there safety, that God would just cover them with His protecting had and give them grace and peace during this time!!!
UPDATE: 3/1/2014, 5:45pm What has been feared in Kharkov, Ukraine has now come to pass...though no news of Russian solders in Kharkov has been told...the pro-Russian activist are getting brutal. So far only one death has been reported and about 150 injured. Crimea in southern Ukraine has completely been seized by Russians, even the internet and phones have been dominated. A missionary in that area tells of all Russian flags flying in the city.  Above is a picture showing where there are Russian troops....the whole peninsula of Crimea has been taken. There are missionary families there! There have been Russian troops reported in the city where the middle arrow is pointing to Zaporizhzhya. Then there is the arrow on top pointing to Kharkov. Prayers are needed for missionaries in these areas, some can't escape their current situation, and we need to pray protection over them!! Some may need to flee the cities there in, please pray protection over them as they travel!!!!!!! Another Video of happenings in Kharkov... UPDATE: 2/28/14, 1:17 pm Seems Russia is saying they are going to stay out of Ukraine, but their actions are showing something different.... CBS News Clip Fox News Links Ukraine accuses Russia of 'military invasion' as gunmen seize airports Russian military 'combat ready' as tensions grow in Ukraine UPDATE: 2/27/2014, 3:46 pm  UPDATE: 2/27/2014, 1:30 pm We'll it seems for the last week... a lot of the action has been in Crimea, in the southern part of the country. Crimea is part of Ukraine, but a separate entity, almost like Washington DC here in the states. There are may pro-Russian supporters there. According to The Guardian.com, "Dozens of pro-Russia gunmen have seized government buildings in Ukraine’s Crimea region, which houses Russia’s Black Sea fleet, and hoisted a Russian flag. They have also put up a sign saying “‘Crimea is Russia”. A flash grenade was thrown in response to a question from a journalist but it is believed no one has been injured. " After this quote, they realized that 2 people had died and many injured. they currently have the entrance to Crimea block so no one can get and no one can get out! The Guardian.com Live continues Upates on happenings in Crimea There is also a lot of talk about Russia preparing troops in and around Ukraine, putting them on stand by for war games....war games???? EuroMaidan is spreading...  |
| Police are making sure things stay under control and no one gets hurt! |
Communist party gathered around the statue of Lenin in Freedom Square.
Banner says, "Hail to the Soviet Army"
Please continue to pray for Ukraine. Many victories have been won, but pray that Kharkov does not turn into another Kiev. Pray that Russia does get involved or send troops or police to "help" the situation. Pray for a peaceful transition....
A big thank you to Steven O'Brien for the pictures :)
More pictures of EuroMaidan in Kharkov!!!
I will continue to update you on happenings in Kharkov in comments below.
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