On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. There are more than 129,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses along with their children living in Ukraine. The branch office has organized 27 Disaster Relief Committees (DRCs) to provide humanitarian aid to our fellow believers. Additionally, in a display of Christian love, the brothers and sisters are making every effort to provide practical and emotional support to each other and their neighbors during this time of crisis.

While most of the brothers and sisters have remained in the country, some have made the personal decision to flee. Those fleeing were caught in long lines, some as great as 30 kilometers (18 mi) long, and waited up to three or four days to get through customs. Local publishers searched for their fellow believers waiting in line and provided refreshments and practical assistance. When the brothers and sisters finally crossed the borders into neighboring countries, they were greeted by other Witnesses carrying jw.org signs, ready to provide comfort and practical support.

• Sadly, on March 1, 2022, 1 deaf brother from Kharkiv was killed and his wife was seriously injured during the bombings

• 3 additional sisters were injured

• More than 5,000 publishers have fled their homes

• 2 homes were destroyed

• 3 homes sustained major damage

• 35 homes sustained light damage

• 2 Kingdom Halls were damaged

• Many publishers have experienced outages of electricity, heating, telephone service, and a lack of water

• 27 DRCs have been appointed in Ukraine

• 867 publishers were assisted by the DRCs to find accommodations in safer areas

• The DRCs are working to provide necessary supplies, such as food and water

The figures above represent initial reports.

We pray that our brothers and sisters will continue to have the wisdom and understanding to cope with the uncertainty and distress of these circumstances as they display brotherly love.—Proverbs 9:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9.