Let me take you back to February 24, 2022.
After years of talk, of speculation on if they will or if they won’t, Russia launched a full-scale invasion on the entire country of Ukraine.
No one knew what to do — the world was in shock. With our eyes glued to the news, we waited to see what would happen next and watched as a historic war unfolded.
For months, it was all we could talk about. But now … not so much. As the world continued to turn, our attention drifted away. The media began looking for the next big story. And the war in Ukraine became “old news.”
But it’s not old news to the millions of innocent people caught in the middle of this war that is still raging on. They still need you to care, and they still need you to help.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest updates from the Ukraine war:
Who is winning the war in Ukraine?
Over 7 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries in Europe to escape the violence of war
While Russia’s army is over 2.5 times larger than Ukraine’s, Ukraine has had several significant victories lately and says it has recaptured more than 2,300 square miles of territory this month.
Russia thought this would be a quick and easy war, but the tremendous resiliency of the Ukrainian people and the help Ukraine has received from other nations has proven them wrong.
After Ukraine reclaimed two particularly key cities from Russia this month, one Russian expert said that “within four days, Ukraine nullified four months of success of the Russian army.”
Russia began pulling back some of its troops in recent weeks, insisting it was a “regrouping” effort and not a retreat, but many Ukrainians are optimistic that things may be shifting in their favor.
The downside to this success is that Russia is now resorting to even more desperate measures and war crimes to get ahead.
“Filtration”: Russia’s inhumane strategy to win the war
Perhaps some of the most shocking news to come out of the war recently is the fact that Russia has begun using a tactic known as “filtration.”
Filtration, which many consider a war crime, involves the Russian government using advanced technology to gather data on people remaining inside Ukraine. Anyone deemed a threat to the Russian regime is promptly taken to a filtration center.
As news of filtration spreads, Ukrainians are packing up their lives and heading to refugee centers in hopes of finding safety
“You’re stripped of your clothes. You are interrogated. You are beaten,” U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. “You hear gunfire and screams from rooms next door — others deemed more threatening are being tortured and killed.”
The idea behind filtration is to abolish Ukrainian pride. Russia plans to turn the tide of the war by changing the people’s sentiments … even if it’s done through intimidation and violence.
Anyone with ties to the Ukrainian government is coerced to fight for or support Russia. If they can’t be persuaded, they simply disappear.
Where do they go?
It’s estimated that around 900,000 to 1.6 million Ukrainians have been forcefully taken to Russia.
Loved ones are separated from one another — husbands from their wives, children from their parents. Thousands of these children are being “adopted” by Russian families.
But beyond this little bit of information, no one knows for sure what happens to Ukrainians once they cross the border.
What other challenges are Ukrainians facing?
Mothers and children worry about the men in their families that were required to stay behind in Ukraine to fight against Russia
Since February, over 7 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries. Millions more have been internally displaced.
This situation has quickly become the largest refugee crisis since World War II. And those still living in Ukraine are struggling to survive. The United Nations estimates that 90% of the population might soon be living in extreme poverty. It will take decades of work to undo the destruction caused by the war.
As it stands now, more than 18 million people (40% of the population) are in desperate need of humanitarian aid.
Damages from bombing and raids have left Ukrainians without basic essentials. Many have little food, little water, and no safe shelter.
The good news is that you can help.
How you can help
Refugees that remember last winter dread the day the temperature drops … they need help from someone like you!
Ukrainian refugees have had to leave everything behind and completely start their lives over. They don’t know if they’ll ever be able to return home. All they know right now is that they need help if they are going to survive.
For $35, you can provide a week’s worth of essentials like food, clothing, shelter, and other emergency supplies for a refugee in Ukraine or another high-conflict area.
When you give, you’ll not only provide for their immediate physical needs, but you’ll also show them God’s love in a practical way.
Your support helps our partners operate refugee centers where people can temporarily stay and receive help transitioning to more permanent housing. You’ll also support clothing banks for refugees so they can receive essentials like socks, shoes, coats, underwear, and more. You’ll ensure these families have food so they don’t have to go to bed hungry. And you’ll help provide trauma counseling, vocational training, and education so they can begin to rebuild their lives.
You may not be able to end this war, but you can do your part to help someone who has been affected by it. Visit our website today to give and to help change a life.