The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a devastating impact on religious freedom. Tragically, 67 ministers from various Ukrainian churches and religious organizations have lost their lives at the hands of Russian occupiers, some even while performing their sacred duties. Over 630 places of worship, including churches, mosques, synagogues, and houses of prayer, have been destroyed or damaged by Russian shelling.

The Russian occupation authorities have systematically repressed religious freedom, targeting not only denominations banned by Russian law, such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Hizb ut-Tahrir, but also all religious organizations independent of the Moscow Patriarchate. This has led to a rapid decline in religious freedom in territories not under the control of the Ukrainian Government.

Numerous Christian religious communities within the temporarily occupied territories have been forcibly compelled to submit to the de jure ‘religious’ organization, the Russian Orthodox Church, which in reality serves as an instrument of Russian state power. The Russian Orthodox Church openly supports Russian aggression, glorifying atrocities against the Ukrainian people and praising Russian murderers. These actions demonstrate Russia's systematic exploitation of religion as a weapon in its war of aggression against Ukraine.

On December 26, 2022, the Russian occupation authorities issued a ban on the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the occupied territories, accompanied by the forced deportation of clergy. Furthermore, organizations providing vital social services and humanitarian support, such as the Order of the Knights of Columbus and various Caritas organizations (Caritas Canada, Caritas USA, Caritas Polska, Caritas Czech Republic, Caritas-Donetsk, and Caritas-Melitopol), have also been banned, exacerbating the suffering of the Ukrainian people.

Numerous reports and assessments from influential international and foreign organizations, inclusively the Concluding observations of the UN Human Rights Committee and annual reports on the religious freedom of the U.S. Department of State, which designated Russia as a ‘country of special concern’, have documented egregious violations of religious freedom committed by the Russian invaders on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

The Russian Federation has long instrumentalized religion to advance its political and military objectives. The Kremlin actively promotes the influence of the Moscow Patriarchate in the occupied territories through the establishment of so-called ‘religious centers,’ further weaponizing religion for its aggressive conquest policy. The occupation authorities relentlessly restrict the activities of all religious organizations that maintain an independent stance or support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, grossly violating the rights of believers and the fundamental principles of freedom of conscience enshrined in international law.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine urges the international community to strongly condemn these flagrant human rights violations, particularly the right to freedom of conscience, in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation; strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation and increase pressure on Russian authorities; intensify efforts to bring to justice all those responsible for the crime of aggression, genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Despite the war conditions, Ukraine remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting and upholding religious freedom, adhering to the principles of international law that govern freedom of religion or belief. We appeal to all global partners to actively support Ukraine's struggle for a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace, the restoration of territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, and the full re-establishment of the rule of law and human rights.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

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