On both sides of hostilities stand Christians, as Ukraine is a country of believers. Most of the country is Orthodox, divided between the Ukrainian Orthodox-Moscow Patriarchate (MP), the Ukrainian Orthodox-Kiev Patriarchate and a small Autocephalous Orthodox group. The Byzantine-rite Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), in full communion with the Holy See, represents about 15% of the population, mainly in western Ukraine, where it is a particularly strong force, spiritually, culturally and historically.

KIEV, Ukraine — Since Ukrainian Christmas on Jan. 7, hellish scenes of cruel death have become routine in the eastern Donbass region on the Russian border.

On Jan. 25, Pope Francis’ first words before praying the Angelus concerned Ukraine. The Holy Father said, “I follow with deep concern the escalation of fighting in eastern Ukraine, which continues to cause many casualties among the civilian population. … I renew a heartfelt appeal so that efforts for dialogue can resume and an end to all hostilities” occurs.

Ongoing Warfare

Over the last few weeks, the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian forces battled back and forth for control of the Donetsk International Airport, renovated in 2012 at a cost of $875 million. The contest is symbolic, since the airport has been destroyed.

Pro-Russian rebels, on the offensive, publicly vowed to take more territory for what they call the “People’s Republic of Donetsk.”

Living conditions are miserable in eastern Ukraine. Many towns and villages have no electricity or hot water. The Kiev government stopped paying pensions and public-sector wages to millions of Donbass residents last November as a way of pressuring locals to turn against the separatists.

A heartbreaking account by Reuters described a psychiatric hospital without heat, running water, medicine or sufficient staff. Meals were cooked over an open fire outside. Some 50 patients have died since the war began.

Despite the obvious humanitarian crisis — estimates say 659,000 to 921,000 internally displaced people have fled the war zone, and almost 500,000 have taken temporary residence in Russia, according to the U.N. refugee agency — the two sides, Ukraine and Russia, seem farther apart than ever.

Leaders from both countries used the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month to trade blame: President Petro Poroshenko demanded Russia withdraw an estimated 9,000 troops currently on Ukrainian territory, remove heavy weapons and close the border.

Holding a piece of the yellow bus in which 13 people died on Jan. 13, Poroshenko referred to “Russian terror,” linking it to the attack against the French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo. (The Russian Foreign Ministry already accused the Ukrainian side of shelling the bus.)

In Brussels, NATO’s supreme allied commander, U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, confirmed the assessment that more Russian military equipment, including tanks and heavy artillery, has been amassed recently in Ukraine. He said NATO detected sophisticated electronic weapons systems associated with Russian forces that were giving separatist fighters a new edge on the ground.

Breedlove would not back up President Poroshenko’s estimate of how many Russian troops are physically in Ukraine. Two months ago, he said 250-300 Russian military specialists were there training and equipping separatists.

Moscow continues to say it has no ground troops in Ukraine.

Western Response

European attempts to shepherd peace negotiations have not worked.

A meeting in Berlin on Jan. 21 between foreign ministers from Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine ended with little accomplished.

The group postponed a summit that was supposed to occur in Kazakhstan last month.

On the American side, in his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama said the U.S. opposes Russian aggression and supports democracy based on “the principle that bigger nations can’t bully the small.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov countered that the president’s speech proves the U.S. seeks to “dominate the world” through confrontation and refusing the path of “constructive cooperation.”

Lavrov reports U.S.-Russian relations have “seriously deteriorated” over the last year.

Meanwhile, political leaders from both parties endorse more U.S. military involvement in Ukraine.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told an audience in Canada that the U.S. should provide military equipment and training to Ukraine, whose government is so broke it can’t afford enough uniforms or ammunition for its troops.

Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham have called, since last spring, for the U.S. to arm Ukraine’s military. On Jan. 27, McCain told the president “lethal military assistance” is necessary.

Church in Ukraine

On both sides of hostilities stand Christians, as Ukraine is a country of believers.

Most of the country is Orthodox, divided between the Ukrainian Orthodox-Moscow Patriarchate (MP), the Ukrainian Orthodox-Kiev Patriarchate and a small Autocephalous Orthodox group.

The Byzantine-rite Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), in full communion with the Holy See, represents about 15% of the population, mainly in western Ukraine, where it is a particularly strong force, spiritually, culturally and historically.

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