REUTERS reports that Russian forces are battling Ukraine’s military forces today (8/8/2024) following Ukraine’s recent incursion through Russia’s border in the Kursk region. In response, Moscow has called in military reserves to fight off Ukraine’s tanks, armored vehicles, drones and artillery.
Heavy fighting was reported near the town of Sudzha, from where Russian natural gas is transported to Ukraine, raising concerns about a potential stoppage of natural gas from Ukraine to Europe. The incursion into Russia reportedly came as a shock to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russian bloggers have stated that Ukraine’s forces were pushing toward the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, located roughly 37 miles northeast of Sudzha, which supplies much of southern Russia with power.
The REUTERS article may be read in full HERE.
Newsweek is also reporting in this matter HERE and HERE, stating that Ukraine controls part of a Russian border town and may have captured nearly a dozen settlements in Russia’s Kursk region. Russia’s Defense Ministry said hundreds of Ukrainian fighters with Ukraine’s 22nd Mechanized Brigade, nearly a dozen tanks and more than 20 armored vehicles had crossed into Kursk, which is just over the border from Ukraine’s Sumy region.
My brothers and sisters, despite U.S. politics and the ongoing war between the axis-of-evil comprised of Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas against Israel, the seemingly forgotten citizens of Ukraine are continuing to fight bravely against Russian forces. This shows that with the help of the free world, and especially with U.S. and NATO support, Ukraine is clearly willing to do the ‘heavy lifting’ of protecting its homeland and taking the former Soviet Union-minded leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin to task – despite unimaginable suffering, loss of life, and a lack of support by much of the world, including the United Nations.
How ironic it is that Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to this most-recent Ukrainian offensive as a “major provocation,” and that Kremlin political party leader, Sergei Mironov, called it a “terrorist attack” and “the invasion of an internationally recognized foreign territory,” considering that the entire war was caused by Russia’s unprovoked and murderous attack against the free and sovereign nation of Ukraine in the first place!
This type of logic and deception is evil, false and intentional. Period. Neither Putin nor Mironov, considering their positions in Russian society, could reasonably be said to be speaking in ignorance of the true situation regarding Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
For President Putin, this is a war of choice. Russia is a huge country full of resources, including oil & gas and minerals. This is an evil war being pursued with little to no concern for the loss of lives in Ukraine or even of its own military members. Russia suffers under the leadership of a former Soviet KGB officer seeking the destruction of Ukraine and the death of Ukraine’s elected president in an apparent effort to relive the “glory” days of the former Soviet Union — placing all NATO-aligned nations at potential risk if left unchecked.
It is notable that former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was quoted saying that as a result of Ukraine’s most recent incursion into Russian territory, Russia should expand its war aims to include taking all of Ukraine. This writer hasn’t forgotten that this was Putin’s goal from the beginning of the war and should come as a surprise to none.
It is also notable that the Center for Information Resilience (“CIR”) stated that if former U.S. President Donald J. Trump wins the upcoming General Election in November and brings a timely end to the Russia/Ukraine War, it would be in the strategic interests of both Ukraine and Russian to have the strongest-possible bargaining position on the battlefield. The CIR estimates that Russia currently controls 18% of Ukraine’s territory.
As followers of Christ, let’s continue to pray for Ukraine, and all of the surrounding nations, asking the Lord to change hearts and to bring a just and quick end to Russia’s evil attack against the free and sovereign nation of Ukraine and its people. Let’s pray that Ukraine’s civilian and military leadership would make decisions in accord with the wisdom and the will of God. Millions of lives, both Ukrainian and Russian, face untold human suffering and are at great risk.
When considering the justification for war, and who or what is being attacked and killed, it would behoove all of those involved to prayerfully consider that the Lord hates pride, the shedding of innocent blood, lies, devising wicked plans and the seeking of evil:
Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV)
“These six things the Lord hates, [y]es, seven are an abomination to Him: [a] proud look, [a] lying tongue, [h]ands that shed innocent blood [emphasis mine], [a] heart that devises wicked plans, [f]eet that are swift in running to evil, [a] false witness who speaks lies, [a]nd one who sows discord among brethren.”
Jeremiah 22:2-3 (NKJV)
“…Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates! Thus says the Lord: ‘[e]xecute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood [emphasis mine] in this place.’”