Richard Hollerman
We know that Jesus said that before the “end” of the Jewish nation, about AD 70, that there would be war. Hear what His words were: “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end” (Matthew 24:6).
We know that in the Western World, there has been much news regarding the war in Ukraine. Of course, we would not forget Russia, Belarus, as well as China, North Korea, Iran, and elsewhere. But the Ukraine has been much on our mind. And to this we must have a few words.
Keep in mind that we remember that all of these nations do not know God and surely are on their way to Hades, and after the judgment, to hell (the lake of fire) itself. We know that many (even among our readers) may not appreciate this. Many do have a “universalistic” streak, and assume that these people and all people will go to be with God. But since we believe in the Bible, we know that the fate of these people is dreadful indeed.
Now as to the present situation and the wars in the lands of Russia and Ukraine, we must return. Presently, we know that Russia and the Ukraine are very different—but similar countries. Ukraine is ruled by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but there are great inputs from the Russian Orthodox Church. And Russia is ruled by the Russian Orthodox Church. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church supports the Ukrainian resistance and the Russian Orthodox Church supports the Russian efforts. At least, this is what we understand at present. We might add that Russia has about 145 million people and Ukraine has perhaps 45 million people. And Russia is overseen by a Jewish leader, Zalinski, and Russia is overseen by President Puten, a strong-armed leader.
We find this report from Reuters:
MOSCOW, April 12 (Reuters) – As many as 354,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or injured in the Ukraine war which is grinding towards a protracted conflict that may last well beyond 2023, according to a trove of purported U.S. intelligence documents posted online.
We know that a third of a million slayings and casualties would be a large number, but not nearly as high as the Second World War, of course!
We read further:
According to an assessment collated by the U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency, Russia has suffered 189,500-223,000 total casualties, including 35,500-43,000 killed in action and 154,000-180,000 wounded.
Ukraine has suffered 124,500-131,000 total casualties, including 15,500-17,500 killed in action and 109,000-113,500 wounded in action, according to the document entitled “Russia/Ukraine – Assessed Combat Sustainability and Attrition.”
The figures are around 10 times bigger than any public casualty figures published by either Moscow or Kyiv.
Although the statistics are not contemporary, we read also:
The cost to Ukraine’s economy has been devastating, not least due to the extensive damage caused to the country’s infrastructure and its most productive industries. The Kyiv School of Economics estimates that the value of damage due to the invasion has now reached $137.8 billion (at replacement cost).
As for the cost of the war, we find the following:
The military price tag of Vladimir Putin‘s invasion of Ukraine is climbing higher than Russia likely ever anticipated, multiple experts tell Newsweek.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to continue fighting the war with Ukraine, a move that will come at a significant price. As the Russia-Ukraine conflict hits the one-year mark on Friday with no end in sight, estimates of Russia’s military expenditures are in the trillions.
Boris Grozovski, a Russian ecnomics expert from the Wilson Center think tank, estimates that Russia’s military expenditures continue to rise rapidly and are estimated to already have surpassed $9 trillion in spending.
Grozovski told Newsweek that the entire Russian government spending plan in 2022 was approximately 23.7 trillion rubles ($346 billion USD), of which approximately 3.5 trillion rubles ($46.1 billion) would be spent militarily and 2.8 trillion rubles ($36.9 billion) would go towards police and security services (FSB).
Part of police and FSB spending also goes toward the war, although that exact number is unknown. Russia surpassed its military budget on September 22, according to Grozovski, and he estimated about 50 percent of extra spending to be going toward the war and the siloviki, a term used for the powerful leaders and elites across Russian agencies.
Along with the indirect costs of the war, including treating wounded soldiers and paying teachers in occupied territories, the total cost of the war could already exceed 15 trillion rubles.
Sean Spoonts, editor-in-chief of Special Operations Forces Report (SOFREP), told Newsweek that Grozovski’s numbers are likely too low.
During the third month of the invasion, Spoonts estimated that Russia sustaining its military efforts cost as much as $900 million per day. It depends on how numbers are computed, he added.
“In our mind, if Russia spends $1 million on a missile to build it and then fires it, they have expended $2 million: $1 million to build it and another million to replace it,” Spoonts said. “I think most estimates only take into account the initial cost.
“If you had a $50,000 car that burned up in a fire, you are out the $50,000 plus whatever you spend to replace it because you need a car.”
Russia is estimated to have lost over half of all its tanks in Ukraine—a total of 1,769 vehicles—according to Oryx, a website monitoring military losses in the war-torn country.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported in early February that Russia had lost nearly 130,000 personnel since February 24, 2022, in addition to over 6,300 armored combat vehicles and nearly 300 military jets.
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-spending-trillions-rubles-ukraine-war-1783463
This may be way beyond our understanding, but it is something that we wanted to focus on at this time.
I think that most observers will understand that an invading country (like Russia) ruled by a manic ruler named Putin that resulted in hundreds of thousands wounded and killed on both sides, and cost billions of dollars, is immoral and this must be denounced, from a Christian standpoint. I say a “Christian” standpoint—for we know that there are other (pagan) viewpoints. We understand that Putin says that he is defending the Russian ideals in this foreign land. We also know that both Putin (Russia) and Zelensky (Ukraine) are godless and evil people, under the judgement of God who created and sustains both (Romans 2:1ff; 6:12; Revelation 21:9).
But, this being the case, we know that millions of people would either condemn Ukraine or Russia and say that there is guilt and wrong-doing here. (But the Christian knows that all of these are wrong and under sin and God’s judgment—Romans 6:23; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-8).
As Christians, we must realize that when we do wrong and sin, we must “pay back” the wrong and do the right. Thus, when we know that Russia has done wrong, and sinned, we know that this evil country must “pay back” Ukraine for this wrong. But how is it possible? This is the question, that we have been wondering for the past couple of years up to the present time. We understand that Putin plans to continue this evil invasion and assault for months or even years to come. But how is this possible? How is it possible for Putin and his rich “oligarchs” in Russia to “pay back” to the Ukrainians for the massive and continued evil that they have done?
For instance, how can Russians (Putin, and is Oligarch friends) pay the debt that they are accumulating at present? From the information that we have supplied above, we know that there are billions and even trillions of dollars that they must pay back (with God’s help). We also know that there is no possibility that the several hundred thousands of people they have killed and murdered can be paid back. Even if we were to give one million ($1 million) for every life (about 400 thousand of them at present), this would be a massive amount that they owe. We suppose that this could be $400,000,000,000 for this alone!
And on top of this would be the massive amount of damage and destruction to the hospitals, schools, apartment buildings, roads, bridges, businesses, industries, and so forth that the Russians should and must pay in order to be right with God and these offended people. How can a nation of about 145 million (perhaps 110 million adults) pay for this? This would be about 4,000 for every man, woman, and child, or perhaps $40,000 for every family. On top of the yearly expenses of this nation, how can every family pay for $40,000, especially since Putin and his rich friends and military commanders do this?
This we wonder? No, I don’t expect that this will ever be done, but how is possible for this great sum to be even begin to be amassed and paid back? How can a guilty country (like Russia) pay back such a large sum and even if this were to be done, we know that it would literally take eternity for this people to pay this amount of money! Further, of course, we know that Zelenski and his fellow-Ukrainians are also guilty and “worthy of death” themselves (Romans 1:32). This should tell all of us how impossible it is for a person to do wrong and “get by” with it and pay back any wrong involved.
We do wonder how the Orthodox Church (which must share the blame) pay for this egregious evil that they have perpetrated? How can a limited religion (false though it is) reimburse others for the destruction and mayhem that they are guilty of and responsible for? We don’t know!
How good it is for the Christian to have a “hands off” policy and obey Christ’s words at John 18:36. Jesus always has known best and must always obey Him in this world of wars, conflicts, mayhem, evil, and perplexity. Jesus knew best and always will. As to when “it will end,” we know that the world always has been and will ever be filled with “tribulation” but Jesus is our peace and has overcome “the world”—including Russia and Putin!
–Richard Hollerman
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