Displaying items by tag: Europe

Russia has deployed vessels armed with tactical nuclear weapons in the Baltic Sea for the first time in three decades, according to a Norwegian intelligence report. Warships regularly went to sea with nuclear weapons during the Soviet era, but this is the first time the Russian Federation has deployed them. Norway’s report comes as Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine reaches the one-year mark. The report said this deployment of vessels implies Russia will continue to pose a threat to Norway and NATO. Norway said that a localised war could possibly escalate into a wider conflict with direct military involvement by Russia, the USA, NATO, and Norway. Russia has called its war in Ukraine a special military operation, and accuses NATO of interfering.

Volodymyr Zelensky's surprise visit to the UK included meeting Rishi Sunak, making a speech in Parliament and having an audience with King Charles. He arrived as Downing Street announced that the UK will train Ukrainian pilots to fly NATO-standard fighter jets in the future, as requested by Ukraine. It is also expected the UK will announce fresh sanctions on Russia. Downing Street added that British training would be scaled up by training a further 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Mr Zelensky next visited Brussels, having urged France, Germany and the UK to provide fighter jets for the war against Russia. ‘Europe will always remain free as long as we are together,’ he told the European Parliament. He will meet all MEPs at a summit of EU leaders, on his second trip abroad since the war began. See Ukraine has received signals from Poland and the Netherlands to say that they are ready to supply RAF Typhoons and F-16 fighters.

Greek Cypriots voted for a new president on 4 February, with a record 14 candidates. The winner needed 50% plus one vote to succeed. Voters are concerned about corruption and the economy, particularly the cash-for-passports scandal, pressures of migration on public resources, and the deadlock over the decades-old island division with Turkey. See Nikos Christodoulides emerged as frontrunner and will face Andreas Mavroyiannis in a run-off vote on 12 February. The elections will end, but challenges and problems lie ahead.

Ukrainian soldiers will commence training in new German-made Leopard tanks on 13 February. Although not all Western weaponry will have arrived by then, Ukraine has enough reserves to hold off Russian forces. President Zelensky said troops were fighting fiercely in Bakhmut, Vuhledar and Lyman. Military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov will replace the current defence minister in a shake-up after corruption reports: some defence officials are suspected of embezzling public funds to procure food for the army. The outgoing defence minister said Russia did not have all of its resources ready to launch an offensive, but might do so anyway on 24 February as a symbolic gesture on the anniversary of its full-scale invasion. He said Ukraine had secured new long-range missiles with a ninety-mile range, but they will not be used against Russian territory - only against Russian units in occupied areas of Ukraine.

A coalition of Western nations have confirmed they are willing to supply modern-made battle tanks to Ukraine. In modern warfare tanks are a key element for offensive operations to punch through enemy lines and retake territory. They provide mobile firepower, protection, shock and surprise. Concentrated in numbers, they can dislocate an enemy's defences. But they also need the support first of artillery to weaken those defences and then of infantry to hold retaken ground. History shows tanks alone don't win battles. As western nations give the go-ahead to send tanks to Ukraine, let us pray that Russia's response will not lead to even more deaths of innocent civilians.

There are currently three European cases where Christians are under attack for speaking out biblical truth concerning gender and same-sex marriage issues. Pastor Akil Pano is accused of hate speech in Albania after defending the words ‘mother’ and ‘father’ and rejecting ‘parent 1’ and ‘parent 2’. In Malta, Matthew Grech has been accused of promoting ‘gay conversion therapy’, and in Ireland teacher Enoch Burke has been removed from his job after refusing to call a transitioning pupil by a new name and ‘gender neutral’ pronouns. Also, in Finland the case of Päivi Räsänen continues; after being acquitted for expressing her views based on the Bible about sexuality and marriage, she is again having to defend her views at the Court of Appeal.

Between 27 – 29 January prayer leaders from across the nations are in Bucharest, Romania to intercede for an end to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. This has not been an easy event to facilitate. Some have had spiritual attacks on their lives and families. Please pray for their continued protection after the conference. As we thank God for the relief agencies, churches and governments helping those suffering the consequences of man’s pride and greed, we know that only God’s Spirit, working through His people can bring healing, reconciliation and peace. Pray that every prayer released during this time will resound continually in the coming weeks to bring a lasting peace and reconciliation.

A Wagner mercenaries Serbian-language video showing Serb volunteers training to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine has outraged Serbia's president Vucic. He said, ‘Why do you, Wagner, call Serbians when you know it is against our rules?’ So far, Serbia has prioritised Russian friendship over ambitions to join the EU, but now Belgrade lawyers and anti-war groups have filed criminal complaints against Russia’s ambassador and Serbia's state security and information agency for recruiting Serbians for Wagner. Vucic said, ‘Serbia’s path is towards the West, not towards invading Ukraine. Serbia consistently voted in favour of resolutions at the UN, condemning Russian hostility.’ That stance does not impress MEPs because Serbia refuses to impose sanctions on Russia. MEPs have called for ending Serbia membership negotiations until they agree to sanctions and forego cheap Gazprom gas from Russia.

There have been Ukrainian anti-corruption reforms before, but stakes are higher now that Kyiv is receiving billions of dollars of financial aid from Western allies. Officials are warned through official and unofficial channels: focus on the war, help victims, reduce bureaucracy and stop doing dubious business. Some have not listened. Several senior officials have resigned as Zelensky begins a shake-up of government personnel. A top adviser, four deputy ministers and five regional governors left their posts on 24th January in the broad anti-corruption drive. There are bribery claims worth hundreds of thousands of pounds and officials living lavishly. Zelensky is responding to ‘key public demands’ that justice must apply to everyone and state officials cannot leave Ukraine unless on authorised business. Ukraine is historically corrupt. In 2021 Ukraine ranked 122 out of 180 corrupt countries.

A Russian missile strike hit an apartment building in Dnipro housing 1,700 people. President Zelenskyy reported 75 survivors were wounded, at least 40 people died. Rescue efforts continue, but Mayor Borys Filatov said, ‘there is minimal chance of finding others alive. The death toll made it the deadliest attack in one place since September. The attack ends a two-week lull in airstrikes against Ukraine's power infrastructure and urban centres. A Dnipro survivor said, ‘There are no military facilities here, no air defence, no military bases. It just hit civilians, innocent people.’ Russia’s Defence Ministry said, ‘All designated targets on Ukraine’s military command and control system were hit’ see Meanwhile a former commander with the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group has deserted and claiming asylum after witnessing war crimes in Ukraine - including deserters being executed and killing Russians who don't want to kill Ukrainians.