Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: churches used as shelters from bombing

The other news of the day: Russian forces surround Kiev. The bishop of Hong Kong urges the faithful to pray for Ukraine. At the UN, India abstains from voting in favour of the resolution against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian government asks for Israeli mediation in the conflict with Moscow. Red Cross warns that the Afghan economy is on the verge of collapse.

UKRAINE – RUSSIA

Along with the other bishops, the Metropolitan of Kyiv of the Moscow Patriarchate Onufriy (Berezovsky) has given orders to use crypts and lower floors of churches as shelters from bombing. Metropolitan Epiphanius (Dumenko) of the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine has done the same.

UKRAINE – RUSSIA

The Ukrainian government has reported fighting in Kyiv between its own forces and invading Russian troops. Weapons have been handed out to civilians. Two missiles hit the Ukrainian capital. Ukrainian President Zelensky denies accepting surrender. According to Ukrainian sources, not independently verified, 3,500 Russian soldiers have been killed and 200 taken prisoner.

HONG KONG – CHINA

Hong Kong Bishop Stephen Chow asked all the faithful to pray for Ukraine, noting how the local Catholic community is “seriously disturbed by Russia’s attacks on Ukraine”. He asked for “peace” and “stability” for the Ukrainian people.

SINGAPORE – VIETNAM

The city-state and Hanoi have signed five agreements to boost bilateral cooperation in areas like defence, trade, digital economy, intellectual property and social policies. The signing took place in Singapore during meetings between Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.

INDIA

Along with China and the United Arab Emirates, India is one of the countries that abstained from voting at the United Nations in favour of a resolution against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For years Russia has been India’s top weapons supplier. Whilst adopting an ambiguous position, like Beijing, New Delhi has called for a return to diplomacy to resolve the crisis.

ISRAEL

According to the Ukrainian ambassador to Israel, Ukrainian President Zelensky yesterday asked Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to act as a mediator to end Russia’s attack against Ukraine. Israel is one of the few countries in the West that has not taken a clear-cut stand against Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

AFGHANISTAN

The paralysis of the country’s banking system is pushing the Afghan economy to the brink of collapse, the Red Cross warns. The situation hampers international efforts to provide financial aid to the country, prostrated by decades of war and the Taliban’s return to power in late August 2021.