score:5
Only time will tell. The ethnic and religious statistics are interesting. With regard to the religious element, it is worth noting that there are two distinct denominations that claim to be the "true" Ukranian Orthodox Church.
The oldest is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and the Moscow Patriarchate is a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Its Patriarch - Kirill of Moscow - has often spoken on the ties that link the people of Ukraine and Russia. I believe that Mr. Putin, who claims to be a Christian and wears a cross around his neck, is a supporter of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine was formed in 2018 after decades of work towards a national church. It emphasises its independence from Russia. It was recognised as an equal member of the worldwide communion of Orthodox churches by Bartholomew I of Constantinople (he's the current 'spiritual leader' of Eastern Orthodoxy.)
This new, self-governing denomination is apparently seen as a challenge to Moscow. The Moscow Patriarchate broke communion with Constantinople after Bartholomew recognised the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
Putin has written that Russians and Ukrainians are one people and should be united by one church. He apparently claimed that the creation of the new Orthodox church of Ukraine was an attack on 'spiritual unity'. Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic leaders accuse the Russian Orthodox Church of complicity in Putin's aggression towards Ukraine. Source: March 2022 "Record" magazine, published in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The BBC news (on 2 March) interviewed believers in their gold encrusted cathedral in Kyiv. The people interviewed declared their staunch faith in God protecting them from the evil aggressor (Russia).
It is worth remembering that Christians are being persecuted throughout the world by governments in China, North Korea as well as many Islamic governments. This is not new. The fact that there is friction between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine may be significant, but Christians do well to remember that it is the Lord God Almighty who is Sovereign and that His timing is always perfect.
Update: 2019 demographics of religion in Ukraine:
In 2019, 82% of Ukrainians were Christians; out of which 72.7% declared themselves to be Orthodox, 8.8% Greek Rite Catholics, 2.3% Protestants and 0.9% Latin Rite Catholics. 2.3% other Christians. Judaism, Islam and Hinduism were the religions of 0.2% of the population each.
According to the KIIS study, roughly 58.3% of the Ukrainian Orthodox population were members of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, and 25.4% were members of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine#Religion
Yes, the intentional killing of civilians in primarily Christian Ukraine could be included in the symbolism within the book of Revelation but trying to pin down the specifics is an exercise in futility.
Upvote:-1
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 says:
For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.Β While people are saying, βPeace and security,β destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
That is, the Second Coming will occur in a time of peace and security, in addition to occurring when nobody will expect it. If you're asking "could this be a sign of the Second Coming", the answer is almost always "no", because if somebody is expecting it, the that means that "nobody will expect it" isn't true.