While the vast majority of Ukrainians are Christians, with Ukrainian Orthodoxy as the predominant denomination, the country is home to a variety of faiths. Despite their differences, all have suffered in
the war and face potential persecution under Russian occupation. Ukraine’s religious demographics reveal that 62.7% identify as Christian Orthodox, 10.2% as Greek Catholic (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, UGCC), 3.7% as Protestant, and 1.9% as Roman Catholic.
The Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, blending Byzantine rites with Catholicism, helps distinguish Ukrainians from Russians, countering Vladimir Putin’s claims that Ukraine is Russia. The Church has been pivotal in supporting both civilians and soldiers during the conflict. Military chaplains provide sacraments and spiritual support to soldiers, while nuns and relief groups offer housing and humanitarian aid to displaced people. Priests and scholars advocate for Ukrainian independence, making the Church a key pillar of strength and resilience amid the crisis.
Catholic religious orders have also been vital in delivering aid, ministering to war-torn communities, and offering spiritual support. Many priests and sisters remain in dangerous areas, distributing supplies, sheltering refugees, and keeping hope alive. Dominican friars have informed the outside world of the suffering in Ukraine, writing about their efforts to sustain church life amid the devastation. Meanwhile, members of the Benedictine and Salesian orders have provided shelter and emergency provisions to those in need.
Ukraine’s small Protestant and Evangelical communities have been actively meeting the physical and spiritual needs of the community. Churches like the Evangelical Good News Church in Sloviansk, located just 20 kilometers from the front lines in the Donetsk region, have become crucial logistical hubs. They provide humanitarian aid and help evacuate civilians from besieged towns and villages across Donetsk, where conflict has raged since 2014. Along with its neighboring city Kramatorsk, Sloviansk remains the last major Ukrainian-held stronghold in the Donetsk oblast. Since the Russian invasion in 2014, separatist forces have targeted religious minorities, including Protestants and Evangelicals. Russian-backed separatists have been accused of kidnapping, beating, and threatening religious congregations in occupied areas. In a tragic incident in June 2014, four members of the Pentecostal Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Sloviansk were abducted and murdered, a crime attributed by church officials to sectarian hatred.
Speaking to The Washington Times at Good News Church, Maxim, a soldier and chaplain with Ukraine’s Donbas battalion, explained why he believes Russians target Protestants. He noted that “Protestantism values individualism and personal freedom, which the Russians can’t tolerate.” Maxim emphasized that the persecution of Protestants and Evangelicals is not only driven by theological differences but also by political and security concerns. He pointed out that the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Russian Orthodox Church are central pillars of the Russian state, and religious minorities pose a threat to the Kremlin’s control. Additionally, the ties many Protestant denominations have with the U.S. lead Moscow to suspect them of being potential American spies.
In Russian-occupied areas, religious freedom has been severely restricted, with non-Russian Orthodox communities facing extreme persecution. Since the war began, at least 39 Ukrainian priests and pastors have been killed by Russian forces. Over 660 religious buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including 206 Protestant churches, with Pentecostal (94), Evangelical Christian Baptist (60), and 7th Day Adventist (27) churches being the most affected. Protestants, along with Catholics, Muslims, and Orthodox believers not aligned with the Moscow Patriarchate, have been arrested, tortured, and subjected to mock executions. They have faced the confiscation of property, threats to their families, and abduction, with some remaining unaccounted for and others killed.
Ukraine’s Orthodox Christian population is split between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), historically linked to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), and the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), recognized as an independent (or autocephalous, meaning not subject to the authority of an external bishop or patriarch) Eastern Orthodox Church since 2019. Kyiv has accused the UOC of spreading pro Russian propaganda and aiding Moscow by allegedly harboring spies. Meanwhile, the ROC, under Patriarch Kirill, has openly supported Russia’s invasion, turning a blind eye to war crimes such as rapes and civilian executions. Kirill has even referred to the conflict as a “holy war” through the World Russian People’s Council (WRPC), an organization linked to the ROC and founded in 1993 to promote Russian nationalism. Kirill plays a key role in the WRPC, aligning its mission with Kremlin goals, including justifying the war. He has also assured Russian soldiers that dying in the conflict grants absolution from sin. Reports suggest that Orthodox private military companies have been formed to fight alongside Russian forces. The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has discovered that these companies are funded by Kremlin-linked financial and industrial groups, with money funneled through ROC accounts disguised as charitable donations for church building.
In response to Patriarch Kirill’s support for the Russian invasion, the still nominally Russia-linked UOC has condemned the war and urged its members to defend Ukraine. Many UOC parishes have already joined the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). The Ukrainian government has cracked down on UOC churches still linked to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), viewing them as tools of Russian influence. To protect national security, the government has demanded that religious organizations sever ties with Moscow. Ukrainian lawmakers passed a law banning the activities of the Moscow-linked Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). President Volodymyr Zelensky endorsed the ban, stating that Ukrainian Orthodoxy is “taking a step toward liberation from the devils of Moscow.”
Some critics argue that Ukraine’s restrictions on the Moscow-affiliated church limit religious freedom. However, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is so closely linked with the Kremlin, that it might qualify as a foreign agent under US law. It’s important to note that, apart from these restrictions, Ukraine maintains religious freedom, which Russia does not. In Ukraine, even unregistered religious activities are allowed, whereas they are banned in Russia, as well as in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
Last year, a delegation from the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (AUCCRO) visited Washington, D.C. to raise awareness about the impact of Russia’s invasion on Ukraine’s religious communities and freedom. The group included leaders from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths. Archbishop Yevstratiy Zoria of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine spoke about Ukrainians being “eyewitnesses to Russian atrocities.” In an open letter, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) called for Catholics to stand with Ukraine. The Synod of Bishops of the UGCC issued the Letter, citing Jeremiah 22:3: “Rescue the victims from the hand of their oppressors.” The letter emphasizes the moral and theological obligation of Catholics and other Christians to support Ukraine. The war has become not only a struggle over territory but also a fight to preserve religious freedom.
