Putin Agrees With Proposed Constitutional Change Allowing Him to Run For Reelection

March 10, 2020 — Voice of America News reports: “Russian President Vladimir Putin says he agrees with a proposed constitutional amendment allowing him to seek another term in office, but only if it is approved by the Constitutional Court.

‘In principle, this option would be possible, but on one condition — if the constitutional court gives an official ruling that such an amendment would not contradict the principles and main provisions of the constitution,’ Putin said on Tuesday while speaking to parliament’s lower house, the State Duma.

Currently, the constitution allows for a president to serve two consecutive six-year terms.

Putin’s current presidential term, his second consecutive one, ends in 2024…”  (Vladimir Putin has been in power as either the Prime Minister or President of Russia since 1999.  Now, with this Constitutional change, he is in essence, setting himself up as ruler for life in Russia, much as Xi Jinping is set to be ruler for life in China.  Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 predict the union of Russia and China [Revelation 16:12; Daniel 11:44] as leaders in the battle for the greatest war in history called Armageddon – Revelation 16:16.  Revelation 9:14 – 18 pictures its upcoming disastrous results.  See the next two reports.)

Coronavirus Fears Aside, Putin Pushes to Expand Power

March 19, 2020 — Voice of America News reports: “Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated a nationwide vote on constitutional amendments that would open the door to extending his power might face delays because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected Russia little but ravaged other parts of the globe.

‘I really am counting on people to show up on April 22 and support the changes,’ Putin said in a Wednesday speech that was meant to mark the sixth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula but touched on the vote set for next month.

‘Although, if there will be problems connected to this well-known coronavirus, then the law allows us to calmly … move it to a later period,’ he said. ‘If the epidemiological situation allows, we’ll hold the national vote. If not, then we’ll postpone a bit.’

At the heart of the issue: a controversial referendum over reforms that, among other measures, would allow the Russian leader to retain his post and compete in future presidential elections when his current term ends in 2024…”

Russia’s Putin wants traditional marriage and God in constitution

March 3, 2020 — BBC.com reports: “Russian President Vladimir Putin wants marriage to be defined as the union of a man and woman in a revised constitution, ruling out gay marriage.

It is among several constitutional amendments proposed by Mr. Putin, which are set to be put to a public vote.

Critics see the proposals as a move by Mr. Putin to keep a hold on power after his presidential term ends in 2024.

The package includes a proclamation of Russians’ faith in God and a ban on giving away any Russian territory.

The territorial amendment would strengthen Russia’s hold on Crimea – a Ukrainian region it annexed in 2014 – and the Kuril Islands, disputed with Japan since World War Two, according to Vladimir Mashkov, a renowned actor-director involved in drafting the new constitution.

Mr. Putin also proposed an amendment on ‘historical truth’, to protect ‘the great achievement of the people in their defence of the Fatherland’…

Royal Navy shadows Russian warships after ‘unusually high levels of activity’ in Channel and North Sea

March 26, 2020 — News.Sky.Com reports: “Nine Royal Navy vessels have shadowed seven Russian warships after detecting ‘unusually high levels of activity’ in the Channel and North Sea.

It comes as the Royal Navy has been preparing to help the NHS and other government departments deal with the coronavirus crisis.

Royal Navy sailors and aircrew have been monitoring every movement of the Russian ships using state-of-the-art radar, surveillance cameras and sensors, allowing them to track their course and speed as they passed the British Isles…”  (Russia in Bible prophecy is the main instigator of death and suffering during Armageddon – Revelation 16:16.  Ezekiel chapters 38 & 39, which Dr. Van Impe proclaimed for sixty years, aided by Oriental and Islamic nations, bring total chaos and atomic devastation upon the world.  Worse yes, it’s just ahead of us.  Every nation he included in World War III is forming exactly as taught this global blood bath six decades ago.  The only good news is that the Rapture precedes Armageddon – “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” – Revelation 3:10.  Then our deliverance as believers – Revelation 4:1 and our joy because of missing Armageddon.  See the next three reports.)

US, Canadian jets intercept Russian reconnaissance aircraft

March 11, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “Two Russian military reconnaissance aircraft were intercepted and escorted for hours near Alaska by US and Canadian air force jets, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said.

The two Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance aircraft on Monday entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, sparking the deployment of several NORAD aircraft including fighter jets, the command said.

The Russian aircraft entered and remained in the air defense identification zone, a security perimeter in international airspace, for about four hours.

They came as close as 50 nautical miles to the Alaskan coast, a NORAD statement said Tuesday…”

US accuses Russia of breaking ‘Open Skies’ treaty

March 5, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “US Defense Secretary Mark Esper accused Russia Wednesday of violating the Open Skies Treaty designed to improve transparency and confidence between the militaries of the two superpowers.

Esper told a congressional hearing Russia had been blocking the United States from conducting flights over the Baltic Sea city of Kaliningrad and near Georgia that are permitted by the 18-year-old agreement.

‘We’ve also been denied access to military exercise overflights,’ he said. ‘I have a lot of concerns about the treaty as it stands now.’

The deal, which has 32 other signatories, permits one country’s military to conduct a certain number of surveillance flights over another each year on short notice.

The aircraft can survey the territory below, collecting information and pictures of military installations and activities.

The idea is that the more rival militaries know about each other, the lower the chances of conflict…”

Canada intelligence committee warns of ‘brazen’ interference by China, Russia

March 13, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “A parliamentary committee on Thursday warned that China and Russia are threatening Canada’s national security and democracy by stepping up ‘clandestine and coercive’ efforts to influence politicians, students and the media.

‘The threat is real, if often hidden,’ the national security and intelligence committee of Canadian parliamentarians warned in its annual report.

‘The threat to Canada from foreign interference is increasing. The perpetrators have become more brazen and their activities more entrenched,’ it said, singling out China and Russia as the main culprits.

Their activities, said the report, ‘threaten the fundamental building blocks of Canada’s democracy.’

The committee also criticized this government’s response to the foreign meddling, saying ‘Canada has been slow to react to the threat of foreign interference’ and ‘must do better.’

The interference has targeted elected officials and their staff, student associations and hundreds of media outlets in Canada that publish or broadcast in languages other than English or French…”

China Threatens EMP Attack in South China Sea

March 18, 2020 — Breitbart.com reports: “Chinese state media on Tuesday rather unsubtly decided this would be a good time to chat with a panel of ‘experts’ about the possibility of using an electromagnetic pulse weapon (EMP) against American ships that enter portions of the South China Sea illegally claimed by Beijing.

The timing suggests it was a bit of saber-rattling by a Communist Party nervous about its power and prestige after the Wuhan virus disaster, but some degree of escalation in the South China Sea has long been a concern for the U.S. Navy and ships from across the free world.

To put it bluntly, an EMP strike on U.S. warships would involve detonating a small nuclear warhead above them, but China’s state-run Global Times threw in some speculation about ‘low-energy laser devices’ to keep their saber from rattling too loudly…”  (II Timothy 3:1 – “This know also, that in the last days perilous [dangerous] times shall come.” Soon the kings of the East [Orient] will move into the Middle East – the second invasion of Israel after Russia’s defeat. America will be involved against North Korea as part of “Tarshish” – Ezekiel 38:16.)

China Uses Coronavirus Crisis to Bulldoze Churches and Temples

March 26, 2020 — Breitbart.com reports: “Religious freedom watchdog groups are accusing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of using the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic as an opportunity to intensify their crackdown on religion, bulldozing some churches and placing others under heavy surveillance.

‘China is now holding itself up as a model for fighting the coronavirus. But fighting the pandemic hasn’t stopped communist officials from persecuting Christians,’ Todd Nettleton, a spokesman for the nonprofit group Voice of the Martyrs (VOM), told Fox News on Tuesday…

Other churches have reportedly been vandalized by Chinese officials and orders have been given that effectively ban ‘unregistered’ religious services on the grounds of public health. On the bright side, VOM saw the prevalence of medical masks due to the coronavirus as an opportunity to evade China’s pervasive facial-recognition systems and proselytize with less fear of being identified and persecuted.

Buddhists and Taoists also reported the suppression and demolition of their temples, a process that appeared to be intensifying just as the coronavirus exploded out of Wuhan. Worshipers bitterly noted that local officials have a habit of abruptly deciding that temples built with their approval failed to meet some obscure building code and must be demolished immediately. Not even hoisting Communist flags and papering temples with posters of China’s authoritarian ruler Xi Jinping was enough to save the targeted temples.

‘Unconditional cooperation with the government means that no photos of the demolition can be taken, no negotiations initiated, and no compensation demanded. This is typical behavior of the CCP government,’ one Buddhist complained to the Bitter Winter human rights website.

‘The Communist Party is as evil as a mafia. Under the tyranny of those modern bandits, even sacred Buddhist temples cannot enjoy peace,’ said another…”  (Great persecution will soon overtake most Christians in a majority of the world. USA Today reported that Christianity is the most hated religion in the world. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” – Matthew 5:10 – 12. However: Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” – Revelation 2:10.)

Experts: North Korea’s Recent Launches Tested Missiles to Target South Korea

March 13, 2020 — Voice of America News reports: “In recent tests, North Korea has been improving the firepower of its missiles that can target South Korea, making them ready to deploy on a battlefield, experts said.

‘North Korea has been enhancing its firepower, war-fighting capabilities over the past two years, flight-testing a number of new systems,’ including the KN-25 missile and variants such as the KN-23 and KN-24, said Michael Elleman, director of the Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Policy Program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Both systems ‘are capable of threatening targets in South Korea and are likely more accurate and lethal than the systems previously seen in North Korea,’ he said.

Compared with artillery positioned across the North Korean side of the demilitarized zone, Elleman said, the KN-25 missiles give Pyongyang the ability ‘to attack the South relentlessly in the opening hours or days of conflict.’…”  (China and North Korea are prophesied to be top contenders and bloody warriors during the battle of Armageddon – Revelation 16:16. Revelation 16:12 pictures Kings coming to the Middle East, primarily China and North Korea to slay a third-part of mankind in atomic warfare. Revelation 9:14 – 18 the Oriental nations from the East join with Russia – the leader from the North – Daniel 11:44 – for the most horrendous war in history.  See the next report.)

Europeans at UN condemn North Korea’s latest weapons test

March 9, 2020 — SpaceWar.com reports: “European members of the UN Security Council, joined by Britain for the first time since Brexit, on Thursday denounced North Korea’s latest ballistic missile tests.

Belgium, Britain, Estonia, France and Germany said in a joint statement they were ‘deeply concerned’ by Monday’s firings, Pyongyang’s first weapons test for months.

‘We condemn such provocative actions. They undermine regional security and stability, as well as international peace and security, and are in clear violation of unanimously adopted UN Security Council resolutions,’ they said.

South Korea said the North launched two short-range ballistic missiles — which the nuclear-armed North is banned from testing under the UN measures…”