Partner Updates

Word from Ukraine is difficult. We have had several sleepless nights in a row. Ivan looked more tired than I had seen him in a while. With our attention focused on elections, Russia, with help from North Korean troops, has been pummeling Ukraine daily. For weeks the situation has worsened in many cities, even Kyiv. I have learned to become more understanding with staff who suddenly become less effective. Ivan was speaking about a young married woman who had been doing well until recently. Her husband and father are on the front lines, and for several days, she has not heard from her brother. This war is taking a deep toll on the people, and the number of refugees has increased greatly as winter approaches.

Since February 2021, The Outreach Foundation has been following developments in Ukraine closely. The war is not going well for Ukraine, though we remain positive and want only to encourage them in their dark hours. Russia’s latest attacks have increased pressure on the fragile power grid. Ukraine now imports more than 50% of its needed energy. Attacks in Kyiv, such as the one that made our national news on Monday, July 8, are common. The age of conscription in Ukraine continues to drop, and the age of those actively fighting includes men in their sixties.