From: Ira Kapitonova in Kyiv (Day 1125)
For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup
with foaming wine, well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.
Psalm 75:8
By now, you must have seen the news report about a father and his 5-year-old daughter killed by a russian drone in Kyiv. The mother is in the ICU, having lost everything she had. The family moved to Kyiv in search of refuge as the front line was too close to their hometown in the Zaporizhzhia region. They joined a church and led a ministry. My friend’s daughter went to a Christian preschool with this girl.
Today, a missile hit downtown Sumy. The current report states about 94 wounded, including 23 children.
Now, how would you take the words of Steve Witkoff, “I don’t regard Putin as a bad guy”? Do good guys attack residential quarters hundreds of miles away from the frontline?
In that interview, Witkoff made a few other statements that fail miserably once you examine them closely.
First of all, the claim that the russian-speakers of Ukraine want to join russia. For decades and centuries, while Ukraine was oppressed by russia, people were forced to speak russian, and all policies (whether apparent or not) went toward the oppression of the Ukrainian language. Ukrainian is now outlawed in the occupied territories. There was a report of teenagers holding a secret book club in the occupied territories and reading Ukrainian books they “illegally” found online because those books had been removed from libraries. Does that open a fair ground for such statements?
This flawed thinking can become a precedent for one day when California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas suddenly decide that they want to be part of Mexico because they have a large Spanish-speaking population. Most people would dismiss these claims as ridiculous, yet those repeating russian propaganda claim they are reasonable.
This claim is often supported by the statement that Ukraine used to be part of russia. I won’t go into details here (but I can recommend a few history books to those interested), but remember that once you try to reverse history, you may create more dangerous precedents. Ironically, in 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from russia for $7.2 million. What if russia decides to review that agreement? What if they claim the price wasn’t fair? What would stop them from demanding that Alaska be returned if the trick worked in Ukraine? They may seem on good terms with the current administration but are known for easily breaking agreements.
Also, Witkoff mentioned the “referendums” as a legitimate ground for russian claims. Not only were people held at gunpoint when “voting,” but the results were fabricated anyway. Will any hostage situation with ridiculous demands now be a valid reason to go against the Constitution? Can you imagine how many people (or countries) are thinking now, “As long as I have a gun and get people to vote, I can do whatever I want”?
It pains me that the world we live in is not about people or justice. It is about power and money. Unfortunately, those things do not stand the test of time. Those who are rich and powerful today may go bankrupt and sink to the bottom tomorrow, but the decisions they make will affect people for a long time.
That’s why I trust in God’s justice. Let us pray we are aware of our choices today and do not end up among those draining the cup with foaming wine down to the dregs.
Voice of Ukraine 