Voice of Ukraine

From Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 432):

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;
the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing.
Isaiah 35:1-2

Last night’s threats turned out to be valid. Russia launched 18 missiles. Thankfully, most of them were shot down by our air defense. Pavlohrad (Dnipropetrovsk region) was hit, and 34 people (including 5 children) were injured – bruises, broken bones, open wounds, concussions, and toxic smoke poisoning. Every time I read about the missile attack, see the number of victims and the number of rockets shot down, I compare these numbers and thank God for His mercy. If not for our air defense, there could be over five times more victims last night.

People are not the only ones affected by this war. The whole creation is suffering from this barbaric cruelty. Over 100 dead dolphins were recorded in Crimea this April. Think about it – over 100 in one month! Marine biologists say that the actual number may be ten times higher than registered cases. Most dolphins suffered from the high activity of submarines and military warships (which use sonars) around the Crimean shore. Some of these species are endangered.

However, it is inspiring to see nature recovering from the consequences of occupation – it shows that the power of life is stronger than the power of death. A park about 45 minutes outside of Kyiv is living proof of that. Last year, it was burned down after being used as a field hospital for Russian soldiers. There were shell fragments all around the territory, yet it didn’t prevent flowers from blooming. One year later, the park opened its doors to visitors again. It is also used for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers and traumatized children. Lavender fields, millions of tulips, and exotic daffodils testify to God’s goodness.