In January, Ms. Park Tae-Yeon was planning to return to her home country of South Korea after compassionately ministering to children for many years in eastern Russia as a missionary. However, one week before her scheduled departure, Ms. Park was detained by Russian authorities and charged with immigration-related offences. (See more information on her arrest.)
Pastor Vladimir Rytikov was born and raised in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. Ordained during 1995, he has faithfully served in ministry within this area for more than 30 years. Despite this, the pastor now faces deportation to an unknown location following Russia's occupation and subsequent annexation of the region. Apparently, Russian officials refuse to recognize Pastor Vladimir as a citizen due to his ministry involvement with an unregistered church.
Christians in the city of Al-Qusayr have expressed concerns over threats and other forms of intimidation, calling on the authorities to take necessary measures to protect residents and their properties. The situation follows the arrest of a male instigator identified as Abdo Idris, who had posted photographs of a Christian man online and encouraged other Muslims to attack the believer and boycott his business. Abdo accused the young Christian man of sympathizing with militia groups that are loyal to the former Assad regime.
