Displaying items by tag: Europe

We can pray into Putin’s situation as he tries to crack down on the increasing resistance by his ex-supporters, the nationalists. Their abandoning him falls in line with the growing war-weariness across Russia. Russian ultranationalist Igor Girkin was arrested after he criticised Vladimir Putin’s handling of the Ukraine war, calling for a transfer of power. He said online that the Russian army is no longer loyal to Putin; he expects the Ukrainian counteroffensive to break the Russian front. He also promised to form an opposition party of ‘angry patriots’ to save Russia from collapse. There are other nationalists and dissenters also criticising Putin’s handling of the war. Putin still depends on Wagner’s generals, which means a weakened Russian military and more mistrust. China supported Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Western sanctions gave Putin economic tensions. Now selling the Chinese yuan indicates his dependence on Beijing. 

The head of Britain’s MI6 foreign spy service, Richard Moore, has said that Putin is clearly under pressure in the wake of the Wagner mutiny attempt in June. In his second speech since becoming MI6 chief in 2020, Richard Moore also appealed to Russians appalled by the war in Ukraine to ‘join hands’ with his intelligence service and bring the bloodshed to an end. He said there appeared little prospect of Moscow regaining momentum in Ukraine, adding that he was optimistic about Kyiv’s counter offensive. This follows Russia evacuating thousands of people in the Crimean peninsula after a military training base fire in the Kirovske district. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s port city of Odessa sustained massive Russian airstrikes the day after Putin pulled out of a deal allowing safe grain exports from the region. The Odessa military administration said the attack was very powerful.

Swedish police approved of burning a Bible outside Stockholm’s Israeli embassy. The decision follows similar Quran burnings which sparked outrage in the Islamic world. The demonstration was scheduled for Shabbat, when Israel's embassy is closed. A recent Swedish poll found most citizens support banning public burning of religious texts. Israel’s chief rabbi asked King Gustaf to utilise his influence so that the Bible burning does not take place, sending the message that Sweden stands against religious intolerance.  Meanwhile on 20 July another Quran was desecrated in Sweden; the Iraqi government informed the Swedish government through diplomatic channels that any recurrence of burning of the Holy Quran on Swedish soil would necessitate severing diplomatic relations. See also world article 6, and

Over several years, ten to fifteen believers gathered to pray once a month in a village prayer house in Norway. In February, a singing evangelist was invited to lead some meetings. He immediately sensed unity and a divine presence. Before long, hundreds were attending, necessitating a move to a larger venue; now over a thousand meet in a sports arena. Whole families are renewed in Christ. People aged 14 to 70 are giving their lives to Him. People are saved, healed and baptised in the Holy Spirit. Is this Scandinavia's equivalent of the Asbury University revival? Or is God doing something completely new?

New in-depth analysis found unacceptable levels of money laundering risks in French real estate, despite transparency measures. Non-compliance, incomplete data, and loopholes are creating a brick wall for attempts to follow flows of dirty money into real estate. Six years after France began collecting information on the beneficial owners of companies, almost a third of legal entities have failed to comply. Consequently over 7.33 million parcels of land, which could contain one or multiple properties, are anonymously held. There is a dead end for efforts to follow the money of white-collar criminals, kleptocrats and sanctioned elites into French real estate, which is known to be a favoured destination for corrupt cash. Over 1.5 million registered entities have not yet declared who ultimately owns and benefits from them.

The war in Ukraine has further escalated in 2023, with hostilities ravaging communities in the east and south and taking a heavy toll on civilians living close to the front line. Mine contamination is also creating tremendous challenges for civilians trying to get back to their farms, and for humanitarians striving to deliver assistance. Despite tremendous challenges, humanitarian organisations in Ukraine continue to reach more people every month. By the end of April, 5.4 million had received aid. This was possible thanks to the efforts of hundreds of aid organisations, local groups and volunteers who play a vital role in getting assistance for those who need it the most. Insecurity and access challenges continue, however, to hamper assistance in areas under Russian military control. Funding also remains low, adding to the challenges. Although strikes on energy infrastructure that had driven urgent humanitarian needs during the winter months have decreased, homes, schools, water systems and hospitals continue to be damaged.

Ukraine's counter-offensive is currently slow and cautious. But this patient approach should soon pay off as long-range strikes prevent Russia rearming frontline units, and low Russian morale provides opportunities for strategic breakthroughs by Ukrainian forces. There are vast stretches of minefields lying ahead of Ukraine's counter-attack. ‘Petals’ - small, green, anti-personnel mines - are being scattered by Russian rockets across fields previously liberated and cleared by Ukraine forces. President Zelensky admitted Ukraine’s counterattack was ‘slower than desired’, partly due to minefields slowing down troop movement. The enemy has no mercy for their own soldiers. They are used as cannon fodder. But Ukraine is trying to move forwards with the minimum of casualties. One soldier said, ‘We are learning to improvise and to invent ways to make quick, safe paths through the minefields. But we are fighting a very vicious enemy.’

Volodymyr Zelensky sparked concerns globally when he accused Russian troops of placing ‘objects resembling explosives’ on the roof of a cooler at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP). Putin has long flirted with the nuclear spectre since mounting his Ukraine invasion. Zelensky suggested Putin might cause a nuclear incident by turning ZNPP itself into a weapon. As Ukraine attempts to reclaim territory captured by Russia, including the Zaporizhzhya region, Russia could claim any explosion at ZNPP resulted from reckless Ukrainian shelling, not its own explosives. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday, ‘The situation at the plant is quite tense. The potential for sabotage by the Kyiv regime is high and could have catastrophic consequences.’

Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda said that while it will not get everything it's hoping for, Ukraine will not be disappointed at the NATO summit on July 11-12. ‘I believe we will find wording that will not disappoint Ukrainians and will state more than we are used to saying’, he said. He added that he could not say whether Ukraine will receive an invitation to join NATO after the war, as dialogue on the subject is ongoing. He also said that individual states will present their own aid packages for Ukraine at the summit.

In 1994, Georges started training and encouraging three young believers, who went on to plant and lead a small church among Albanian Muslims. Since then, their work has steadily grown and flourished. Now that tiny church has multiplied and planted dozens of ministries which have spread across Kosovo. Georges returns regularly to provide training to about 100 indigenous church leaders. To read his story, click the ‘More’ button.