CHRISTIAN NEWS FROM RAY
A free service of Jesus Christ is Lord Ministries
News selected and edited by Ray Mossholder
SPECIAL REPORT Saturday, March 1, 2014
Rarely, but from time to time when the situation is instantly vital for you to understand, I will be sending SPECIAL REPORT from Christian News From Ray. This is the first one.
Few times in our lifetime has a situation become any more intense, with worldwide implications, than the invasion of Russia into Ukraine this weekend. War could be, but not necessarily, the inevitable outcome. You can be sure that America and many other Western powers have their eyes continually glued to this situation as it unfolds. If war did break out it could very soon escalate into a globally devastating Third World War.
The temporary Prime Minister of Ukraine is a deeply committed Christian. He has asked for your prayers. Can you imagine how you would feel if one of our states was suddenly being invaded and taken over by any other country, especially one as powerful and often ruthless as Russia is? That is the situation in Ukraine this very minute.
PRAY!
RUSSIA INVADES CRIMEA IN UKRAINE
The Russian parliament unanimously voted Saturday to grant President Vladimir Putin permission to mobilize the country’s military in Ukraine and asked that the country’s ambassador in Washington be recalled after earlier statements by President Obama.
Putin says the move is needed to protect ethnic Russians and the personnel of a Russian military base in Ukraine’s strategic region of Crimea. But the request came a day after Obama warned Moscow that “there will be costs” if it intervenes militarily in Ukraine.
“I’m submitting a request for using the armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine pending the normalization of the socio-political situation in that country,” Putin said before the vote. Putin’s call came as pro-Russian demonstrations broke out in Ukraine’s Russian-speaking east, where protesters raised Russian flags and beat up supporters of the new Ukrainian government.
Russia’s move sharply raised the stakes in the conflict following the ouster of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president last week by a protest movement aimed at turning Ukraine toward the European Union and away from Russia. Ukraine has accused Russia of a “military invasion and occupation” — a claim that brought an alarming new dimension to the crisis, and raised fears that Moscow is moving to intervene on the strategic peninsula where Russia’s Black Sea fleet is based.
The move also appears to formalize what Ukrainian officials described as an ongoing deployment of Russian troops in the strategic region of Crimea. His motion loosely refers to the “territory of Ukraine” rather than specifically to Crimea, raising the possibility that Moscow could use military force in other Russian-speaking provinces in eastern and southern Ukraine where many oppose the new authorities in Kiev.
In Crimea, the pro-Russian regional prime minister had earlier claimed control of the military and police there and asked Putin for help in keeping peace, sharpening the discord between the two neighboring Slavic countries.
Sergei Aksenov, the head of the main pro-Russia party on the peninsula, said in a statement reported by local and Russian news agencies that he appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin “for assistance in guaranteeing peace and calmness on the territory of the autonomous republic of Crimea.” Aksenov declared that the armed forces, the police, the national security service and border guards will answer only to his orders. He said any commanders who don’t agree should leave their posts.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, said unidentified gunmen sent by Kiev had attempted overnight to seize the Crimea region’s Interior Ministry offices and that people had been wounded in the “treacherous provocation,” Reuters reported.
Ukrainian border guard vessels were put on combat alert in the Crimea region on Saturday and were leaving port to prevent the capture of military bases and ships, Interfax news agency quoted the border guard service as saying, according to Reuters.
Ukraine’s defense minister said on Saturday Russia had “recently” brought 6,000 additional personnel into Ukraine and that the Ukrainian military were on high alert in the Crimea region,Reuters reported. Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk opened a cabinet meeting by calling on Russia not to provoke discord in Crimea. “We call on the government and authorities of Russia to recall their forces, and to return them to their stations,” Yatsenyuk was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. “Russian partners, stop provoking civil and military resistance in Ukraine.”
Earlier Friday, Agence France Press quoted a top Ukranian official as saying 13 Russian aircraft carrying nearly 2,000 suspected troops have landed at a military air base near the regional capital of the restive Crimean peninsula. A spokesman for the Ukrainian border service said eight Russian transport planes have landed in Crimea with unknown cargo.Serhiy Astakhov told The Associated Press that the Il-76 planes arrived unexpectedly Friday and were given permission to land, one after the other, at Gvardeiskoye air base, north of the regional capital, Simferopol. Astakhov said the people in the planes refused to identify themselves and waved off customs officials, saying they didn’t require their services.
Earlier in the day, Russian armored vehicles rumbled across Crimea and reports surfaced of troops being deployed at airports and a coast guard base – signs of a more heavy-handed approach to the crisis from Moscow.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
UKRAINE CHARGES RUSSIA WITH
“MILITARY OCCUPATION”
The new developments prompted Ukraine to accuse Russia of a “military invasion and occupation” — a claim that brought an alarming new dimension to the crisis.
Serhiy Astakhov told The Associated Press that the Il-76 planes arrived unexpectedly Friday and were given permission to land, one after the other, at Gvardeiskoye air base, north of the regional capital, Simferopol. Astakhov said the people in the planes refused to identify themselves and waved off customs officials, saying they didn’t require their services.
Earlier in the day, Russian armored vehicles rumbled across Crimea and reports surfaced of troops being deployed at airports and a coast guard base – signs of a more heavy-handed approach to the crisis from Moscow.
At the United Nations, the Ukrainian ambassador, Yuriy Sergeyev, said Friday that 10 Russian transport aircraft and 11 attack helicopters had arrived in Crimea illegally, and that Russian troops had taken control of two airports in Crimea. He described the gunmen posted outside the two airports as Russian armed forces as well as “unspecified” units.
Meanwhile, flights remained halted from Simferopol’s airport. Dozens of armed men in military uniforms without markings patrolled the area. They didn’t stop or search people leaving or entering the airport, and refused to talk to journalists.
One man who identified himself only as Vladimir said the men were part of the Crimean People’s Brigade, which he described as a self-defense unit ensuring that no “radicals and fascists” arrive from other parts of Ukraine. There was no way to verify his account.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
PUTIN CLAIMS RUSSIA IS “DEFENDING THEIR OWN” IN CRIMEA
The Russian foreign ministry said Friday that it had informed the Ukrainian government that armoured units from the Black Sea Fleet base near Sevastopol had entered Crimea in order to protect fleet positions. “The Ukrainian side was also passed a note regarding the movement of armoured vehicles of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, which is happening in full accordance with the foundation Russian-Ukrainian agreement on the Black Sea Fleet,” the ministry said on its website.
In the same note the Russian foreign ministry said it had declined a Ukrainian request for “bilateral consultations” on events in Crimea because they are “the result of recent internal political processes in Ukraine.”
Earlier armed men in unmarked uniforms occupied key transportation hubs in the Crimea on Friday, in what the Ukrainian government denounced as an “armed intervention” by Russian troops. Men in unmarked camouflage uniforms and carrying AK–74 assault rifles and PK 7.62 mm machine guns occupied a restaurant and patrolled the carpark and forecourt of Simferopol international airport as early as Friday morning. They also block the road between Simferopol and Sevastopol before dawn, while a Russian warship was reported to have blockaded the entrance to the bay at Balaklava, the home of the Ukrainian coast guard. The soldiers refused to answer questions from journalists.
The troops made no apparent attempt to interfere with the running of the airport or take over key infrastructure, contenting themselves with strolling up and down the car park at a leisurely place, apparently deliberately for the benefit of television cameras.
While those patrolling the car park carried assault rifles without magazines attached, belt ammunition could be seen loaded into two medium machine guns carried by sentries outside the occupied restaurant building. Some rifles carried telescopic sights and under-barrel grenade launchers. They were backed by civilian volunteers wearing the orange and black St George’s ribbon, a symbol of Russian military prowess that has been adopted by pro-Russian activists in Crimea as an identifying mark.
“We are here for your safety,” said one man, who described himself as a member of the “people’s militia and ordered journalists away from the restaurant the troops had occupied. “If you don’t move away from this building maybe someone will throw a grenade at you,” he said. He denied he was threatening journalists, citing an incident yesterday when armed men in the regional parliament building reportedly answered shouted questions with a stun grenade.
“It is an unpredictable situation and we want to make sure everything remains calm. We are just people from this city who want to protect their families,” he said. The man refused to give his name, but said he and his group arrived at the airport at 6 AM. He refused to say who controlled his “militia” or whether they accompanied or knew the identity of the mysterious soldiers.
Meanwhile, at least 20 men wearing the uniform of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet carrying automatic riffles were reported to have surrounded a Ukrainian border guard post in the port city of Sevastopol on Friday. A serviceman who identified himself as a Black Sea Fleet officer said “we are here…so as not to have a repeat of the Maidan,” Reuters reported. His statement referred to the riots in Kiev.
Agence France Press quoted a top Ukranian official as saying Russian aircraft carrying nearly 2,000 suspected troops have landed at a military air base near the regional capital of the restive Crimean peninsula.
UKRAINE ACCUSES RUSSIA OF “AN ARMED INVASION”
Russian troops moved into Crimea Friday, U.S. officials told Fox News, prompting Ukraine to accuse Russia of an “armed invasion” – a claim that brought an alarming new dimension to the crisis.
At the White House, President Obama said the U.S. government is “deeply concerned” by reports of Russian “military movements” and warned any violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty would be “deeply destabilizing. “There will be costs” for any military intervention, he said, without specifying what those costs might be.
Russia kept silent on claims of military intervention, even as it maintained its hard-line stance on protecting ethnic Russians in Crimea, a peninsula of Ukraine on the northern coast of the Black Sea. Earlier in the day, Russian armored vehicles rumbled across Crimea and reports surfaced of troops being deployed at airports and a coast guard base – signs of a more heavy-handed approach to the crisis from Moscow.
Meanwhile, ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych surfaced in Russia Friday, thundering defiantly against the “pro-fascist hooligans” who drove him from office. Yanukovych warned of the dangers of “irresponsible Western policy” as he vowed to continue the fight for Ukraine’s future Friday at a press conference in Rostov-
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S REACTION
President Obama told journalists at the White House, “There will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine,” without specifying what those costs might be. That prompted his critics to quickly say how weak his statement was. They likened it to a mother who warns their child that they are going to get a spanking when the child knows their mother is too undisciplined herself to ever give him one
A bipartisan group of 12 members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee expressed support for U.S. assistance in Ukraine and raised concerns over the Russian government’s “provocative and dangerous tactics” in response to the upheaval in Ukraine. “We do not seek confrontation with President (Vladimir) Putin and his government, but simply to ensure that Russia abides by its commitments and adheres to core principles of international law. A peaceful, democratic, stable, and sovereign Ukraine is in our national interest,” the senators wrote.
The lawmakers, which included Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said they are prepared to work with the Obama administration on imposing “targeted sanctions to “dissuade individuals who would foment unrest to undermine Ukraine’s territorial integrity. We are gravely concerned about the future of Ukraine and are committed to working with you to support a peaceful political transition that serves the interests of the Ukrainian people who have demanded that their voices be heard,” the lawmakers wrote.
Later Friday, Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, issued a statement saying, “It appears that the Russian military now controls the Crimean peninsula. This aggression is a threat not only to Ukraine, but to regional peace and stability. Russia’s latest action is yet another indicator that Vladimir Putin’s hegemonic ambitions threaten U.S. interests and allies around the world.”
A senior U.S. official told Fox News the Pentagon has not prepared “any military contingencies” for Ukraine. Officials say Obama may retaliate by canceling a trip to Russia this summer for an international summit and could also cut off trade discussions with Moscow. But it’s unclear whether those moves will have any impact on Russia’s calculus in Ukraine.
The administration is being pressed by members of Congress to act judiciously but firmly, out of concern that Putin is poised to flex his muscle in a bid to exert influence over the volatile power struggle in the former Soviet republic.
“It is essential that the United States, our European and NATO partners, and the international community stand up to any aggression,” he said. “We need strong American and European leadership now to forestall any further threats to international peace and stability. Russia’s leaders must understand that military intervention and further interference in Ukraine’s affairs are unacceptable, and would result in significant consequences for Russia.”
Among those consequences, he urged sanctions for “Russian individuals and entities who use force or interfere in Ukraine’s domestic affairs.”
Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, warned that Putin would not take Obama’s “vague threats” seriously and urged the administration to consider suspending Russian membership in the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Security Council. “The United States should stand with Ukraine,” Cruz said.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
UKRAINE’S ACTING PRESIDENT ASKS FOR CHRISTIANS EVERYWHERE
TO PRAY FOR UKRAINE
Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchinov is also well aware of the minefield he has assumed responsibility for. He warned against “dangerous signs of separatism” in parts of the country, amid anger over the ouster. “At this point, it seems more like it may be more saber rattling than anything else, but the situation remains very fluid. We just really have to lift this matter up in prayer. Ukraine is a very unique country, and a lot of places have very strategic interests in it.”
And yet, who better to espouse peace and reconciliation than a follower of Christ? SGA’s Sergei Gladishko described the situation and sent thanks from Ukrainian believers to all who have interceded in prayer for their country:
We are very thankful to you for your prayers and encouragement. We praise God for your faithful partnership in ministry. We are very thankful to God for leading us through a difficult political situation. Now the process of forming a new government has begun. On February 22, the deputy chairman of Ukraine’s “Motherland” party, Alexander Turchinov, was appointed as Chairman (or Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, which is called the Verkhovna Rada). Later in the day, parliament voted to remove President Viktor Yanukovich, declaring him constitutionally unable to carry out his duties. Next, the parliament set May 25 as the date for a special presidential election. In the meantime, Alexander Turchinov was appointed as acting president of Ukraine. He has also been authorized to sign laws adopted during this transitional period. Alexander Turchinov is a good Christian man. He belongs to one of the largest Baptist churches in Kiev. We are praying, and [we] ask you to pray with us that God will grant wisdom to our brother and to the other elected officials to head the country.
Because of the former government, the capital city of Kiev has not had a mayor for two years. May 25 has also been set for a special mayoral election. Please, join us in praying a good mayor to be elected. We are trusting that God will grant us an honest and worthy president, new government, and new mayor.
Given the severe persecution of evangelical churches that has taken place, the fact that an evangelical believer could be named to the Ukrainian presidency in an acting basis is truly amazing. Griffith notes that “we’ve always said that the churches over in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) tend not to be involved in political matters. They want to focus on the Gospel. But what we’re seeing in Ukraine now is that it may well be true of the Church corporate, but we obviously do have individual evangelicals being very involved.”
Their teams will keep moving the Gospel forward, but they’re asking prayer in unsettled times. Griffith shares, “This is ‘a time to mend, a time to heal.’ That’s the message we’re seeing out of our brothers and sisters in Christ over there. That’s certainly the message that we support, and we hope that that actually takes place.” Please keep praying that peace and calm will return to all of Ukraine
CHRISTIAN NEWS FROM RAY SPECIAL REPORT – RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE – March 1, 2014