During a massive Russian attack on Kyiv on November 29, a drone struck the grounds of Kyiv Christian Academy, damaging part of the building and shattering dozens of windows. The incident has once again raised questions about the sincerity of the Kremlin’s participation in ongoing peace negotiations.
Source: Christianity Today
A Strike on a School Serving Missionary and Ministry Families
During the nearly ten-hour overnight attack, school director Eric Moore and his family were forced to shelter in place. Around 6:00 a.m., the night guard reported that a drone had crashed into the schoolyard, leaving a crater more than a meter deep and blowing out 75 windows. The guard escaped without injury.
Kyiv Christian Academy (KCA) serves 47 students, many of them children of missionaries and ministry workers. The building is also shared with a private elementary school of 140 younger children. A dodgeball tournament organized by Athletes in Action was scheduled for that morning.
The broader attack on Kyiv killed three people and injured twenty-nine. Parts of the city were left without power.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha commented that such strikes reveal Russia’s real intentions:
“While everyone discusses peace plans, Russia continues its ‘plan of war’: to kill and destroy.”
Peace Plan Under Controversy
The attack came as the United States attempted to restart diplomatic negotiations. A 28-point peace proposal, leaked to the media, drew sharp criticism in Ukraine and Europe for offering extensive concessions to Russia — including giving up territory, reducing Ukraine’s army, and abandoning NATO membership.
On Sunday, a Ukrainian delegation met in Florida with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to amend the plan. The next day, Rubio and Kushner flew to Moscow to negotiate directly with Vladimir Putin.
President Zelensky later said the revised document “looks better.”
Putin, however, rejected parts of the updated plan and once again threatened Europe with war if Russia were attacked.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the updated version allows Ukraine to maintain its current army size, while territorial issues would be addressed separately between the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents. Wording related to NATO membership was softened.
Growing Threat to Churches and Christian Ministries
Maya Mikhaluk — pastor’s wife, ministry leader, and church planter for 18 years — said the original plan resembled a “Christmas wish list for the Kremlin,” offering almost nothing that protected Ukraine’s interests.
If Russia preserves or expands its control over occupied territories, 27 churches planted by their ministry network would be in immediate danger.
“Our pastors will have to flee. If they stay, they will be killed,” Mikhaluk warned.
According to Mission Eurasia, Russian forces have killed more than a dozen Christian ministers since the full-scale invasion began.
The organization’s president, Sergey Rakhuba, cautions that legitimizing Russia’s demands would result in persecution of the entire Ukrainian Church:
“This will happen across all of Ukraine if Putin is given a chance.”
Ministry Continues Despite Escalating Danger
Despite the risks, Christian ministry in Ukraine has not slowed. Rakhuba says Ukrainian churches are experiencing “one of the strongest movements of God in recent decades.”
Mission Eurasia recently held its annual volunteer forum and distributed more than 300,000 food packages. Wood stoves and humanitarian supplies continue to be delivered to families who have lost their homes.
Kyiv Christian Academy has already launched a fundraising campaign for repairs. More than 100 volunteers helped clear debris and install temporary windows so students could return to class.
Mikhaluk notes that Russian drones are becoming more accurate, and humanitarian vehicles are now being targeted more frequently. Their church has temporarily suspended trips to Kherson and Donetsk due to the increased danger, focusing instead on serving internally displaced families around Kyiv.
Yet she remains hopeful:
“God has always been near in the darkest moments. When every false support is taken away — that is when we are closest to Him.”
