The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has released a special report detailing Russia’s systematic religious persecution in occupied Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. This campaign of repression is part of a broader strategy to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty and cultural identity. Russia is accused of weaponizing religion to discredit Ukraine internationally while committing severe violations of religious freedom in occupied territories.
Since the invasion, Russian forces and occupation authorities have reportedly committed at least 76 acts of religious persecution. These include the closure, nationalization, or forced conversion of 26 places of worship to the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, the killing or seizure of 29 clergy members, and the desecration or destruction of 13 religious sites. This systematic campaign aims to eradicate ‘undesirable’ religious organizations and promote the Moscow Patriarchate.
The report highlights that these acts are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate effort to suppress religious diversity. The Russian government, under President Vladimir Putin, has enforced laws like the 2016 Yarovaya Law, which restricts religious activities outside state-approved sites, under the guise of countering extremism. This law has been used to target various religious minorities, including Baptists, Pentecostals, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
In occupied Ukraine, Russian authorities have extended these repressive measures. They have annexed regions such as Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia, enforcing Russian federal laws that suppress religious freedoms. Reports indicate that Russian forces have targeted the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), viewing it as a threat to Russian Orthodoxy. The OCU has been the most targeted group, with 34% of reported persecution events aimed at its members.
Protestant communities, particularly evangelical Baptists, have also faced severe persecution, especially in southern Ukraine. Russian soldiers have harassed, detained, and threatened Protestant leaders and congregants, often labeling them as ‘American spies’ or ‘sectarians.’ These actions are part of a larger campaign of cultural genocide, aiming to erase Ukrainian cultural and religious identity.
The ISW report underscores the gravity of Russia’s actions, which align with international definitions of genocide. The systematic persecution of religious groups in occupied Ukraine is a deliberate attempt to destroy the cultural and religious fabric of the nation, furthering Russia’s broader objectives of ethnic cleansing and cultural domination.
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