Amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, an image featuring a group of people praying on their knees in the snow has been circulating on social media. It has been claimed that the image shows the tense state of affairs where Ukrainians are praying in the freezing cold.
Christine Caine, founder of Propel Women, tweeted that the image was posted by her friend @SheilaWalsh. The photo shows Ukrainian Christians praying for their nation on their knees in the snow, she claimed. Christine also appealed to her followers to join them in prayer. (Archive link)
My friend @SheilaWalsh posted this picture of Ukrainian Christians praying for their nation, in the snow, on their knees. I know & love so many people in this nation. I’ve been going for over 20 years. We have an office there. Would you join us in prayer? I’m heartbroken. pic.twitter.com/2FXgjK6bVL
— Christine Caine (@ChristineCaine) February 19, 2022
Croatian member of parliament Mariana Peter also tweeted the image as recent. (Archive link)
Ukrainian Christians pray outdoors, in the snow, for their country in this phase of war danger. Let’s pray for people in #Ukraine in these particularly critical times; may God grant wisdom, discernment, strength, courage, protection to the authorities and to the whole population! pic.twitter.com/SPPrEatTZK
— Marijana Petir (@marijana_petir) February 21, 2022
It is also being circulated with a Hindi caption.
The photo is widespread on Twitter and Facebook.
Fact-check
By performing a simple reverse image search, Alt News found the image in an article by the International Mission Board dated September 25, 2019. The Christian news platform mentioned that the image was taken in Kharkiv, a city in Ukraine.
As per the article, Russian separatists had attacked Ukraine’s eastern region in March 2014, prompting pastors and evangelical leaders to put out a call for prayer. Within a week, over 100 people gathered there to pray. Police and army personnel issued threats to the prayer group created in 2014. It also states that separatists had attacked the neighboring cities of Luhansk and Donetsk. Journalist Nicole Leigh herself participated in these prayer meetings held in Kharkiv’s Freedom Square and wrote this article sharing her experience.
In 2014, Russia had seized control of Ukraine’s Crimea region.
To sum it up, an old image of Ukrainians kneeling in prayer in the snow was falsely shared as a visual of the ongoing conflict in the country.
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