Today, as never before, Ukraine desperately needs prayer. In light of recent events, we realize that only Almighty God can reconcile the conflicting parties and stop the violence and bloodshed in the country.

As a result of authorities ignoring the demands of hundreds of thousands rallies in Ukraine’s capital Kiev for two months, the enraged people took matters into their own hands. For the past four nights in a row Kiev sees the violent clashes of demonstrators and the special military units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

On January 19, after a large-scale gathering at Kiev’s Independence Square a group of protesters tried to break through the line of police forces to the building of Ukraine’s Parliament to require the cancellation of a number of laws adopted on January 16, which severely restrict the Constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens. This confrontation resulted in a conflict which like a spark ignited the anger of protesters. In response the law enforcement officers used against protesters stun grenades, tear gas, water cannons and traumatic weapons. The protesters "armed" themselves with the erected catapults and started hurling stones, tiles, and fire bombs at the police. Thick black smoked from burning tires engulfed the city.

The number of injured on both sides exceeded 500 people. Dozens are hospitalized - some with severe injuries (eye and body injuries), some with bruises, lacerations, head concussions, etc. As a result of injuries five protesters have been reported dead. There have been burnt almost all buses and trucks which police used to block the street in governmental block. The businesses are shut down and people in Kiev are advised to stay at home.

The events in Ukraine became the topic of the day in most democratic countries. U.S. and EU consider sanctions against Ukraine’s government which after violent beatings of the peaceful demonstrators on November 30, in addition adopted a number of resonant laws, thereby starting genocide against its own people.

It all started when Ukraine’s authorities made a decision to suspend the integration process into the European Union for the sake of closer ties with Russia. The last drop of discontent aroused the resonant laws, illegitimately adopted by the parliamentary majority, which, according to experts, limit constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful protest and allow criminal penalty for such activities. The U.S. and the EU have expressed great concern about the adoption of the laws and regarded the actions of the Ukraine’s authorities as a departure from the principles of democracy. EU commenting the situation said that its position to Ukraine will not be the same.

While revolutionary events which are followed by fires, explosions, deaths and disappearance of demonstrators unfold we kindly ask you once again to join us in prayer and fasting for a peaceful solution of the situation in Ukraine.

Photo: BBC