Pentecostal Christians in Russia declared a “fasting and prayer marathon” throughout the month of March.

“God is looking for those who would stand ‘in the breach for this earth’. We have something to present with our hearts and lips before His Heaven”, the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith- Pentecostal Union said.

“Recent events in Russia and Ukraine have shown how quickly things can change and how fragile the world in which we live can be. Many processes are so intertwined, affecting the destinies of brotherly peoples, that it inevitably echoes in our hearts with pain”, the RCCEF wrote in a statement published on 26 February and signed by Bishop Eduard Grabovenko.

“Let our hearts and lips lift up in prayer to the God of peace, mercy and order, crying out according to His will, in the hope of His answers”.

They propose 3 prayer requests: that “those on whom peace depends may see these ways and bring peace to the nations. Let us remember that the hearts of kings and rulers are in His hand (Proverbs, ch. 21, v. 1)”; “For the willingness of the churches to sacrificially serve the afflicted”; “For a deeper understanding of the purpose of the Church of Christ ‘to be light and salt’”.

Euro-Asian Baptist Unions

Two days earlier, the Euro-Asian Federation of Evangelical Christian-Baptist Unions, which includes the Baptist Union of Russia and the Baptist Union of Ukraine, wrote a letter to Vladimir Putin on 24 February.

“Mr. President! Our letter is motivated by deep concern and anxiety for the fates of the peoples of many countries who may be affected by the devastating consequences of the military conflict between Ukraine and Russia”, it says.

“We propose to stop and sit down at the negotiating table in order to find a peaceful solution to the global confrontation, which has become particularly acute in recent days”.

The letter also asks for God’s “wisdom” to reach peace, bringing “happiness, prosperity and real protection to many people in Russia, Ukraine and other countries”.

Russian Evangelical Alliance

On 23 February, the Russian Evangelical Alliance (REA) had urged to find a “chance to come to peace and settle the conflict situation, not to let it develop into open military confrontation”.

The Secretary General of the REA, Vitaly Vlasenko, appealed Vladimir Putin to “consider and support the peacemaking initiative” of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. Vlasenko said “these religious leaders of Ukraine, who, contrary to all the ambitions of politicians and the military, seek peace and harmony between our Slavic peoples”.

Vlasenko finished the letter, writing the day before the invasion started: “All evangelical Christians pray every day and ask the Almighty to give everyone wisdom, to preserve the fragile peace and not to plunge our countries into fratricidal conflict”.

On social media, a number of evangelical leaders in Moscow and other cities also expressed their solidarity with Ukrainian Christians and their opposition to war.

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