Map showing areas annexed by Russia from Ukraine
(Public domain via Wikipedia)
Russia reports that it increased the amount of territory it controls in its Special Military Operation into Ukraine:
Russian Forces Liberate Two Settlements in Donetsk People’s Republic – MoD
19 March 2026
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Russian armed forces have taken control of the settlement of Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
“As a result of decisive actions, units of Battlegroup Tsentr group of forces liberated the village of Pavlovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the ministry said in a statement.
Battlegroup Yug has taken control of the village of Fedorovka vtoraya in the DPR, the ministry added.
The liberation of the settlements of Pavlovka and Fedorovka Vtoraya in the Donetsk region has enabled the Russian army’s further advance towards the cities of Druzkovka and Slavyansk, a municipality which is the center of the largest Kiev-controlled agglomeration in the Donbass. https://sputnikglobe.com/20260319/russian-forces-liberate-two-settlements-in-dpr—mod-1123852172.html
Russia has been slowly controlling more territory.
In other related news, it reported that peace talks with Ukraine are on hold because of the Iran war:
Kremlin confirms Ukraine talks paused as Iran war escalates
March 19, 2026
Peace talks between the United States, Russia, and Ukraine are on pause amid the Iran war, Izvestia reported on Thursday, citing Russian officials.
Izvestia said the Kremlin had confirmed the pause and that the Iran war could push Kyiv towards compromise. https://www.jpost.com/international/internationalrussia-ukraine-war/article-890491
While Russia’s Special Military Operation into Ukraine has been costly for it as well as for Ukraine, Russia continues to make progress on several of its goals for this operation.
Because of prophecies related to the “kings of the Medes” in the Book of Jeremiah, in the Fall of 2013 I wrote that Russia would end up with at least some territory that Ukraine claimed.
After the USA backed a coup to get rid of Ukraine’s democratically elected president, Russia took action in Crimea–then part of Ukraine.
In 2014, Crimea voted to leave Ukraine and become part of Russia. Russia later accepted and annexed the territory.
The USA would not accept the vote by the Crimeans primarily because it seems to want to stop Russia from expanding. The USA pushed for international sanctions with Europe, many of which still remain, in an effort to hope Russia would release Crimea to Ukraine.
Even though the USA and many in Europe have wanted Russia to leave Crimea, on March 18, 2019, I posted:
It remains my view that Crimea and at least parts of eastern Ukraine will ultimately align with Russia.
International sanctions will not stop biblical prophecies from being fulfilled. (Thiel B. ‘Putin in Crimea as Russia Marks Five Years Since Annexation’ the ‘Kings of the Medes’ will arise. COGwriter, March 18, 2019)
And the events of the past few years confirmed my view that sanctions would not stop Russia from having territories align with it. The various sanctions announced by the USA and the Europeans look to be political punishment, as opposed to being announced by those who seriously believe that they will get Russia to cede the Donbass region back to Ukrainian control (it would probably take a pro-Russian government in Kiev for Russia to do that).
Long-time readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware that I have repeatedly told of a time where those in parts of Ukraine and Moldova would end up supporting Russia. For example, here is something from 2014:
As ‘independent states’ Donetsk and Luhansk may enter into some type of joint confederation with each other or Russia. If the forces from Kiev decide to attack, they will likely fight and ask for help from Russia.
Donetsk and Luhansk may vote to be annexed by Russia, like Crimea did. Or at minimum decide to ask to be part of Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian Union.
The Bible has several end time prophecies concerning the Medes (Isaiah 13:17-19) and the kings of the Medes (Jeremiah 51:11, 28-29) that involve military action. Various ones in Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Russia, and elsewhere are part of the descendants of the Medes, as likely are some in Moldova.
Alliances consistent with end time Bible prophecy are in the process of forming. (Thiel B. Eastern Ukraine votes for independence: Kiev upset, Russia pleased. COGwriter, May 12, 2014)
Several years back, Russia’s president declared he had recognized and accepted the Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic as independent nations (see I365: Right before Messiah, US will fight Russia and China will capitalize, rabbinic “prophecy” reveals’ COGwriter: No, that is not what the Bible teaches). Then on 30 September 2022, Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas in an address to both houses of the Russian parliament.
As I posted here in February 2025:
The longer the conflict continues, the less territory that Ukraine will have.
No matter what Ukraine’s leadership currently thinks, at least parts of Ukraine are going to ultimately support Russia (cf. Jeremiah 51:11, 28).
That has been happening.
The Bible foretells a time when the “Kings of the Medes” will get together (Jeremiah 51:11, 28)–and some now have. Many in Russia, Ukraine, and even Moldova have descent from the ancient Medes.
On the Sabbath of February 5, 2022, which was before Russia’s troops entered Ukraine, I did a sermonette where I mentioned that lands associated with Ukraine would end up being confederate with Russia:
21:20
Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy
The situation between Russia and Ukraine has again heated up, although it has been tense since the Euromaiden protests and Russia’s annexation of Crimea. There was later a separation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church. Is war prophesied for Russia and Ukraine? Are prophecies in the Bible associated with the ‘kings of the Medes’ and a power from the “north country” related to any in Russia and Ukraine? Is a confederation of powers from the north, east, and central Asia prophesied to destroy the coming end time European Babylon? Will the destruction be reminiscent of what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah? How is the King of the North and who will destroy him? Do those in Russia and Ukraine have a hope of salvation? Will Russia and powers of the east be involved in the gathering in Armageddon as prophesied in Revelation 16? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues.
Here is a link to our video: Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy.
Since that came out, more territories that Ukraine once controlled are now controlled by Russia.
While Ukraine has put up a lot of resistance to Russia’s Special Military Operation, Russia is larger and has more troops, etc.
Many seem to forget that Russia has a lot of nuclear weapons and might consider using them in Ukraine if it thought Ukraine was going to push Russia completely out.
Remember that Jesus taught:
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. (Luke 14:31-32)
Ukraine may wish to reconsider where it is at to see if it believes it should attempt to make a deal with Russia.
World events continue to align with properly understood biblical prophecies.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy as are two video sermonettes Russia, Ukraine, Babylonian Europe, and Prophecy and Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? Are we close to the battle with Gog and Magog? Four related videos are available: Ezekiel 38 Gog and Magog War: Is it Soon?, Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now?, Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code), and Gog, Magog, Vladimir Putin, and Ezekiel 38?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is are links to related videos: European history and the Bible, Europe In Prophecy, The End of European Babylon, and Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: El Fin de la Babilonia Europea.
The European Union and the Seven Kings of Revelation 17 Could the European Union be the sixth king that now is, but is not? Here is a link to the related sermon video: European Union & 7 Kings of Revelation 17:10.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America? Where did those people come from? Can you totally rely on DNA? Do you really know what will happen to Europe and the English-speaking peoples? What about the peoples of Africa, Asia, South America, and the islands? This free online book provides scriptural, scientific, historical references, and commentary to address those matters. Here are links to related sermons: Lost tribes, the Bible, and DNA; Lost tribes, prophecies, and identifications; 11 Tribes, 144,000, and Multitudes; Israel, Jeremiah, Tea Tephi, and British Royalty; Gentile European Beast; Royal Succession, Samaria, and Prophecies; Asia, Islands, Latin America, Africa, and Armageddon; When Will the End of the Age Come?; Rise of the Prophesied King of the North; Christian Persecution from the Beast; WWIII and the Coming New World Order; and Woes, WWIV, and the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
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