News from Kharkiv – 15 miles from the russian border
January 20, 2026
The past month has been especially difficult, and the last week in particular has been marked by constant shelling of critical infrastructure. The most vulnerable members of society are suffering the most: widows, the elderly, internally displaced persons, orphans, and families without stable income. Many of them simply do not have the means to purchase power stations or generators to cope with prolonged outages.
In response, we are strengthening our work and ministry in the area of energy resilience for families. Our focus is especially on vulnerable households, whom we are supporting with power banks, warm clothing, and basic necessities. These small but vital resources help people endure the cold and maintain a measure of dignity in very difficult conditions.
We ask you to pray for Kharkiv, where more than half a million internally displaced people are currently living. Please pray especially that, despite the severe winter conditions (temperatures have dropped to as low as -20°C/68 °F) people would not lose hope or fall into despair. In times like these, the ministry of mercy and the ministry of the Gospel become a powerful support for those whose strength and hope are fading.
We are deeply grateful that, despite these harsh circumstances and now in the fourth year of the war, we are still alive. We still have the privilege of serving God and the opportunity to help others. We thank our brothers and sisters around the world who continue to pray for us and faithfully support this ministry.
When every other source of support seems to disappear, God remains our true refuge. Time and again, we witness how He sustains us in the most difficult moments and for this, we give Him all the glory and thanks.
-Mark Agarkov, Elder at the Church in Kharkiv
