The epicenter

As of June 4, the 101st day of the war, the main efforts of the aggressor country are focused on the complete capture of the Luhansk region. Military analysts report that Russian forces control 90% of the region. The main goal is to capture the city of Severodonetsk, for which fierce battles have been waged these last weeks. The Ukrainian side is still successfully holding back the attacks of the invaders.

The situation in the Donetsk region remains difficult. The head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Pavel Kirilenko, daily submits reports, which indicate the number of wounded and dead in the region. Excluding Mariupol and Volnovakha, 464 people have already died in the region during the invasion, 1211 were injured.

Advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, Petro Andryushchenko, reports that at least 22,000 civilians have died in Mariupol since February 24. “But this figure may be higher,” Andryushchenko said. Local residents report that the occupiers cover up the crime traces by demolishing damaged houses, which still contain the bodies of those killed in the shelling. Together with construction debris, the dead are taken away to landfills.

It is from the Donbass that the flow of migrants is now moving to other regions of the country, especially to Zaporozhye, which so far remains an island of safety for refugees. In Zaporozhye, Brethren Mennonite Churches in partnership with the leaders of the School Without Walls are providing them with accommodation, essential supplies and are teaching them about Christ.

Tide of the war

The civilized world mostly supports Ukraine's right to self-defense, and European countries are already beginning to abandon Russian oil. Here is what President Zelensky said about this in one of his videos: “In this direction, huge sums are minus for the aggressor country. Of course, Russia is trying to resist. She has long enjoyed the flow of petrodollars and does not want to wean. But they’ll have to."

Another area of ​​support is military assistance to Ukraine: The United States will provide Kyiv with modern HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, which many hope will be able to turn the tide of the war. In addition, a number of European countries have repeatedly organized the supply of military aid to Ukraine.

Unprecedented figures

14 million Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes because of the military conflict – this is the data from the report of the UN crisis coordinator for Ukraine Amin Awad. He calls the scale and speed of the resettlement process "unprecedented in history." This number includes both internal and external migrants. According to him, the educational process has stopped for 3 million Ukrainian children, and the number of those who need humanitarian aid has reached 15.7 million people. Thousands and thousands of people do not have access to electricity and water, and do not know if they will be able to find at least some food.

According to the Office of the Attorney General, 261 children died during the war, and another 463 were injured.

The ministry “out of bounds”

6 Mennonite churches find themselves in the temporarily occupied territory, which is now difficult to get to. More than half of the communities have left for the territories controlled by Ukraine and are working there. Those who, for one reason or another, remained, continue to gather for worship even in the midst of chaos and godlessness.

Those church members who left for European countries joined the local Mennonite churches in Germany and Lithuania. In Germany, Ukrainian Mennonites have even created their own Bible study group, which is attended by 20 people.

Teenage ministry continues even at a distance: online meetings of leaders with teenagers who are now in different parts of Ukraine or Europe are regularly held. One way or another, the connection, brotherly love and mutual assistance between Ukrainian Mennonites does not stop, wherever they are. Being different parts of the body of Christ, the Mennonites serve the people wherever they are.

Despite the danger

From the beginning of the conflict, it was clear that the front of work to help people would be of enormous scale. Enlisting the help of foreign friends, the Mennonite Brethren Churches, organized 9 aid centers in Ukraine and began work on the distribution of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of the civilian population. Today, the team of AMBCU ministers includes about 150 people.

No one is safe from danger now, but the most dangerous thing is the delivery of aid to those places near which active hostilities are taking place. More than once, the lives of the volunteers were threatened by the shelling. Nevertheless, the process of helping people in such dangerous cities as Avdiivka, Ocheretino, Kharkov does not stop. Although these places are not safe, here people most need words of support and encouragement - the words of the Gospel.

Since the beginning of the war, the Association has distributed 210 tons of humanitarian aid, and distributed 10,000 copies of Christian literature as part of iCare food packages. Thanks to the help of European friends, evacuation to Europe was organized for two hundred people.

AMBCU continues to help those who desperately need hope in times of crisis.