A pastor in Ukraine has said people's faith in God is as strong as ever despite the ongoing of war with Russia.
It's been four years since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, and since then hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians on both sides have been killed.
Christian charities and missions have been underpinning support for civilians and soldiers during this time.
Vadim Preobrazhenskiy works with Eurovision Mission to Europe based in Kyiv. He has just returned to Kyiv after serving alongside chaplains and volunteers on the frontline in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Soldiers there are trying to defend the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk which are under sustained attack from Russia. But Vadim told Premier that despite the pressure, soldiers feel the presence of God:
“Our defenders do all they can to protect the cities. And what is amazing that even militaries who don't really see much mercy on the front line, who work in unspeakable conditions, they open their hearts. We don't just bring practical aid, but we come there with Bibles, and you hear from men of power that everything is in God's hands, and they say that somehow being on the front line changed them and made them realize that God is almighty. So yes, people are still turning to God.”
He added that when the war ends, many people who fled Ukraine will return and the church will be needed more than ever: “The Church will have a lot of responsibilities and a lot of work to do. It will be a great field for evangelism.”
On Tuesday, Sir Keir Starmer announced fresh sanctions on Russia. He described them as the most wide-ranging measures since the first year of the conflict, targeting hundreds of Russian energy companies.
Anna Chilvers, country director for the humanitarian organisation Medair Ukraine,which aims to ensure access to water, heating, and safe shelter so that families can remain in their homes.
She told Premier the harsh winter is making conditions for Ukrainians even more challenging/
“It has been harder than the previous winters – minus 27 degrees - with more attacks against infrastructure, so impacting heating, impacting electricity. People are tired and people are weary, but also there's very much a sense of determination to continue onwards and to find the reasons to live and to keep going.”