More Difficult Days for Ukraine

When we hear about ongoing violence in the world that doesn't immediately threaten us, we usually move beyond our initial reactions and "get used to it" as just another part of the daily news. The ubiquitous media of the global village don't increase our concern or empathy in the long run; if anything, they contribute to the numbness that takes hold when "someone else's war" becomes protracted, when "someone else's country" continues to be attacked, when war crimes and atrocities continue to be perpetrated against "someone else's" children, homes, schools, hospitals, and civil infrastructure.

Perhaps we remember to pray for a just and lasting peace. I hope we remember to pray for peace. Indeed, we need to pray for miracles to resolve some of these conflicts.

Russian troops are "advancing" in Eastern Ukraine, and massive drone strikes are still launched daily against Ukrainian cities, aiming primarily at damaging as much as possible electrical infrastructure. We have heard about the exhaustion of the Ukrainian people from this two-and-a-half years of aggression by Putinist Russia's unapologetically imperialist full-scale invasion. And yet, they continue to find the strength to defend themselves. Teams of specialists continue to find ways to restore power and essential services in the wake of the continual Russian barrage. But the extent of the damage is increasing. Will there be enough power to meet people's needs as winter approaches?

We have also heard recently that Ukrainian drones are bombing targets inside of Russia. But this is fundamentally different: Ukraine is aiming at military targets. Ukraine's bombs are trying to destroy the weapons that are being used to attack Ukrainian defense forces and civilian population. By contrast, Russian bombs are aimed to dismantle Ukrainian cities and wear down the Ukrainian people by afflicting them as much as possible. The goal is to chastise and debilitate Ukraine until it is willing to surrender its national identity (or at least some portion of it) to the Putinist Empire.

A similar point needs to be made about military movements. Russia invaded Ukraine with its military forces, first by annexing Crimea in 2014 and "helping" puppet "rebellions" in the Eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukraine has been fighting this partial invasion for nine years. The "full-scale invasion" of all of Ukraine began on February 24, 2024. Russian forces were and remain invaders, attackers. They are nothing less than a huge band of robbers! On the other hand, when Ukrainian forces "invaded" Russian territory on August 6 by advancing into the Kursk region, their intention was not to take over Russian land as such, but only to gain access to places where the invaders are coming from, as part of the overall aim of stopping the invasion. The challenge for Ukrainians is to stay focused on ending the invasion of their country, and not give in to the temptation to take revenge on the Russians.

The longer this war lasts, the greater this temptation becomes. And revenge only creates pretexts for further violence from the other side. Historically, ongoing cycles of violence generate entrenched hatred between neighboring peoples.

It is hard to resist the temptation to hate one's enemies. It is hard to continue to recognize in one's enemies their inviolable dignity as human persons even as one continues to fight in defense against their attacks. This doesn't mean that one has to "like" one's enemies or "feel good" about them. It also corresponds to the demand that the leading perpetrators of violence be brought to justice and make amends.

But the trauma and horror of war can quickly cause human reason and love to be drowned by the clamor of human passions. Ruthlessness presents itself under the disguise of being more efficient... and more selfishly satisfying. The power of these illusions in human history underscore the urgent aspiration for peace in the world today. War solves nothing. It is a tragedy. As Pope Francis continually reminds us, “war is a defeat for humanity.”

The Ukrainian people continue to have war thrust upon them, and they must defend themselves in view of attaining a just and lasting peace. As the war continues, they must face greater spiritual and material dangers. We have seen their ingenuity, bravery, and toughness. We must pray that they continue to be strong, and to grow also in a heroic love of God and their neighbors, their fellow Ukrainians and the Russians too. Many terrible wounds need to be healed. Many violations of human dignity need to be acknowledged with sorrow and repaired (insofar as this is possible); and ultimately there needs to be forgiveness.

All of this would seem to require a miracle. (For the expanding war in the Middle East - which I'll address at another time - many miracles are needed. As the map above shows, these two conflicts are geographically closer to each other than we might think.) We need to pray for miracles, for hearts to be converted to Christ the Prince of Peace, for nations of the world to have not only the resources but also the wisdom and courage to help the Ukrainian people disingenuously - not seeking their own advantage but what really serves the good and helps open the roads to authentic peace.