The US and Russia have made empty promises of peace for over a year. End the war in 24 hours? How about making the war worse during the last 53 weeks? And during the coldest winter in decades.
Ukrainian civilians face dangerously deteriorating conditions across their country.
In the occupied territories to the east, regulations as of January 20th state that Ukrainian children under the age of 14 can no longer leave occupied territories using their birth certificates. To cross the border, occupiers now demand a Russian foreign passport. Even for travel to countries that previously maintained visa-free regimes.
Child Targets
Iryna Sedova, a researcher at the Crimean Human Rights Group, says the changes deliberately target Ukrainian children under occupation.
Speaking to Ukraine’s public broadcaster, Suspline, Sedova said: “Russia is introducing new border crossing rules with the sole purpose of preventing residents of temporarily occupied territories, including Crimea, from taking their children outside the occupied territories.
The Kremlin has methodically made passportization a tool of administrative control. They linked all essential services to accepting Russian citizenship. The absence of a Russian passport excludes Ukrainians from accessing pensions, obtaining employment, receiving social benefits, or pursuing their studies (Freedom, May 23, 2025; Meduza, October 22, 2025)
Russia has already kidnapped over 20,000 Ukrainian children from the townships and Kherson.
Weaponizing Winter
Depending on which media you consume, you may have heard that the U.S. and Russia spoke about refraining from strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for one week.
The truth is, Russia did not pause the strikes. They continued everyday. January 26, 27, 28, 29…
Forecasters say Ukraine will experience a brutally cold period stretching into the first week of February.
These pictures tell the story of hundreds of thousands of civilians in Kyiv desperate for warmth.
The most vulnerable, the weakest, the old, the sick, the tiny kids and their parents – these suffer the most. They have nowhere to go or they simply can’t move.
A lot of people have nothing apart from those cold walls.
Their suffering doesn’t help Russia reach any military goals. 
Ukraine will not fall, the frontline will not collapse. Ukraine is still a large and strong country. What Russia does and what it is able to do is cause great suffering to average Ukrainians. Russia puts people on the brink of survival, makes people’s lives unbearable.
Attacks on energy and forced Russification of children are part of the ongoing terror Ukrainians face. Is it any wonder Ukraine does not want to trade Ukrainian communities for peace?
February 2nd, 16:43
What To Do
Do you feel powerless in the face of evil? What can one person do? I feel that at times. I coach myself to:
stay informed.
take my concern to God and intercede.
rise funds for Ukraine.
write to my MP and the Prime Minister’s office.
Please share this post to help inform others of the reality of Ukraine. Post a comment and join the conversation. Thank you.
Hope grows here. We share stories that inspire people, build faith, and offer lasting purpose.
We’d love to have you Subscribe to REVwords. We’ll put helpful content into your inbox Mondays and Fridays.
Good Morning Pastor Bob. The situation is just horrific. Targeting the most vulnerable. It makes me sick to my stomach. It is really hard to digest the news every day. The news about the Ukraine & the news coming out of the US.. It makes me feel overwhelmed & sad. So, I have repeated myself over & over again. I have to turn off the noise…in order to protect my own mental health. I do that on the weekends…so, that it doesn’t come into my house 24/7. I have to protect my own peace. Thank you for sharing this blog with us. Have a great week. ❤️
Thank you for reading and starting the conversation, Julie. There is literally so much destruction happening on a daily basis. Imagine if Ukraine attacked maternity hospitals in Russia? Or if what is happening in Ukraine happened in Berlin or London? It would be front page news across the globe and the world would be condemning terrorism.
The invasion has gone on for 12 years now – into Crimea – and since Feb. 22, 2022. We can’t be weary in caring, speaking up, and well doing.
It’s deplorable. The devil is no longer hiding. He is out in full force. Our world is turned. We are upside down. I agree with the quote, “ it’s just not normal.” It’s quite heavy to bear some days. It reminds me of the Greek mythology statue of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders. Some days it’s hard not to check out. I’m sure it breaks God‘s heart.
We have lost our standard to say, which is right and which is wrong. We have no moral center. All of our transcendent values are being removed.
If we don’t return to a biblical standard, then I don’t see much hope for this world. Praying for revival. All things are possible.
“May your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.“
It’s just so so crushing to see such evil.
Hi Adena. You’re so right about it being crushing, but thank you for not looking away. While we may think how do we do something to make a difference, there are hundreds of leaders in Ukraine working every week to bring relief in the name of Jesus. And they work with hope. I know they are rited but everytime they get a note or receive a donation from abroad it reminds them that they are not lone. People care.
Thanks Bob for keeping us informed about the Russian invasion and the targeting of Ukrainian civilians. It seems like the Americans and the world have lost interest which is exactly what Putin expected.
Thank you, Mark, for joining the conversation. We have short attention spans. And the world, at this moment, is on chaos overload.However, in an age of information, it is surprising that so many are ill-informed and misinformed about the most devastating war in 70 years.
My passion for Ukraine is limited only by the means to contribute more. My heart breaks and continually aches for Ukraine – for every single person affected by Russia’s illegal occupation and brutality.
I do not blame Russian citizens or even those forced into fighting. Blame lies solely with a regime dominated by evil. Evil is a choice. We are not helpless to its influence over our own behaviours so any act of evil is laid at the feet of the individual as much as the Evil One.
As the Bible reminds us, we must fight the battle for souls in the spiritual realm, but our lives are also not our own so we must stand with those oppressed and beaten by the actions of those around them.
One of the greatest contributors to an established tyrannical dictatorship (whether fascist or communist) is apathy and our willingness to protect ourselves from the horror because it does not directly affect us.
Complacency is identical to complicity when defending others is at stake.
I’ve been standing with Ukraine since 2022 (I admit I didn’t pay attention when Crimea was taken and I have not always remained informed of world news, so I am as guilty of complaceny as anyone else). I feel helpless but hopeful for Ukraine. They have the right leader for this atrocity. He builds on the collective strength and unity of his people and remains in the fight with them daily.
Beyond that, they do have the armies of heaven on their side. God allows evil to exist and reign for a time but it will not last. It never does. God is a God of love but He is also the God of justice and victory. Evil will pay its price and those who do not resist it will pay a price both here on Earth, for their war crimes, and in eternity if they do not repent of their sin.
While I do try to maintain a measured level of judgment of others, I do not believe that applies to my righteous anger in defending others. I will always forgive the sins visited on me but my sense of justice makes it difficult to forgive those who mistreat others – especially through illegal attacks, immoral actions and abuse of power.
Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, antisemitism, racism, scapegoating immigrants, killing the helpers and defenders, and especially the wickedness of harming children – these are intolerable and vastly difficult to forgive. NOTE: I recognize that the list is not comprehensive or I’d be writing a book.
I sincerely want to help those in Ukraine so I’ve decided to do what I can with the resources and abilities I have available. Jocelyn offered some timely advice that may lead to my ability to do more. As you pointed out in the Letter to your Much Younger Self, she is wise.