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Pro-Russia Activists Protest Ukraine 'Bandits'

CBN

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New unrest is brewing in Ukraine Wednesday on the Crimean Peninsula city of Sevastopol, a pro-Russian part of the country in the southeast.

In cities across the region, pro-Russian demonstrators are protesting the new Ukrainian government and calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to protect them.

"Russia, save us!" they chanted.

"Bandits have come to power," Vyacheslav Tokarev, a 39-year-old construction worker, complained. "I'm ready to take arms to fight the fascists who have seized power in Kiev."

Sevastopol is also home to the Russian navy's Black Sea Fleet, with 25,000 naval forces.

"This particular part of Ukraine is very, very pro-Russian," CBN News' George Thomas explained. "There are thousands of people chanting 'Russia, Russia, motherland Russia. Putin, we support you.'"

"There is this rift that's taking place today in Crimea," he said. "The society is evenly split between those who support Ukraine and those who support Russia."

Meanwhile, new information is surfacing about Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov.

Turchynov is an evangelical Christian and a Baptist pastor who was elected to parliament in 1998.

Image removed.The mansion of President Yanukovych, who was impeached, was opened to the public this past weekend. CBN News got a guided tour of his lavish lifestyle.

View more inside images on George Thomas's Facebook page, Inside a Tyrant's Crib.

Sergey Rakhuba, with the U.S.-based Russian Ministries, has met Turchynov several times and said he's well-known for his integrity and Christian faith.

"The evangelical community knows him as a great preacher," Rahkuba told CBN News. "The political community knows him as a principled, honest politician."

"Oleksandr Turchynov was always known for taking a stand against corruption," he continued. "Definitely see this as hand of God where a person with family Christian values can become a top leader and in a time of turmoil trusted with power of pulling country together."

Rakhuba is asking the global Christian community to pray God will give Turchynov wisdom and courage to help heal his country in the days ahead.

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