In Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, Orthodox communities aligned with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine face persecution from occupation authorities and structures linked to the Russian Orthodox Church. Churches are searched, seized, or repurposed, while clergy are pressured to switch allegiance or cease their activities. Believers encounter intimidation, surveillance, and restrictions on worship. After Russian forces desecrate a church and brutalize the clergy in the village of Bobak, the local community confronts the horrifying reality that the Moscow Patriarchate has blessed the war against them. Realizing their spiritual leaders have abandoned them, the parishioners vote to break the chains of “Russian slavery” and join the Independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Despite these pressures, many communities continue practicing their faith, turning religion into a space of resistance, identity, and survival amid conflict.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) was systematically eliminated from occupied Crimea through a campaign of administrative, legal, and physical repression by Russian authorities starting in 2014, according to the Regional Center for Human Rights. Under the pressure of the occupiers, by 2022 the number of parishes of the UOC-Kyiv Patriarchate in Crimea decreased to 7, compared to 50 parishes in 2014. Since 2014, the Russian Federation and traitors have been using all possible methods to close Ukrainian churches in Crimea. In 2016, Russia adopted a law, Yarovaya legislative package, that further restricted the activities of the religious sphere and expanded the powers of Russia’s security forces allegedly to fight terrorism. Instruments of pressure on of the occupation authorities on the clergy and parishioners of the OCU in Crimea are imposition of Russian Federation citizenship; application of administrative practices of the Russian authorities to Orthodox churches; seizure of church property; acts of kidnapping; calls of various kinds for questioning by law enforcement agencies; application of administrative sanctions; obstacles to re-registration, even under occupation legislation, and bringing to administrative responsibility.

After the occupation of Crimea, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine experienced systematic pressure that escalated from administrative obstacles to direct interference in religious life. In Simferopol, the main cathedral was effectively blocked when armed individuals appeared on the premises, restricting entry and disrupting services. Parishioners were at times unable to attend worship, and clergy faced intimidation during attempts to hold liturgies. Legal mechanisms were also used: authorities initiated court cases to terminate lease agreements, which led to eviction orders and the loss of church property. In some instances, church buildings were sealed or transferred to entities aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church. Clergy reported surveillance, questioning, and threats, forcing some to leave the peninsula. As a result, functioning parishes were reduced dramatically, and regular religious activities became nearly impossible, illustrating how institutional pressure and coercion combined to dismantle a religious community.

Clergy of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in occupied Crimea are experiencing escalating pressure including the attempts to force them into compliance through military and administrative coercion by Russians. Priests were reportedly summoned by local authorities and issued notices related to conscription, despite their status as religious ministers. This created a serious conflict between their vocation and imposed obligations. In practice, clergy faced repeated interrogations, threats of prosecution, and pressure to obtain Russian citizenship as a condition for remaining on the peninsula. Some were warned of legal consequences for refusing cooperation, while others experienced surveillance and intimidation. These measures made it increasingly difficult to continue pastoral work, leading many priests to leave Crimea. As a result, religious communities were left without leadership, contributing to the gradual disappearance of organized worship linked to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Church property in occupied Crimea is systematically seized through legal and forceful means. In one case, a functioning cathedral in Simferopol was taken over following a court ruling, after which enforcement officers and police ensured the eviction of clergy and parishioners. Religious services were interrupted, and believers were denied access to the building. Church property, including icons and liturgical items, had to be removed under pressure, often within very short deadlines. The takeover was accompanied by intimidation and the presence of security forces, creating an atmosphere in which resistance was impossible. As a result, one of the central religious hubs for Ukrainian believers ceased to exist, illustrating how institutional mechanisms were used to dismantle religious structures associated with Ukrainian identity.

The last remaining place of worship belonging to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine – the Holy Cross Chapel in Yevpatoria – in Crimea was destructed. After years of legal disputes and pressure, the building was ultimately demolished, physically erasing the community’s presence. Parishioners who had continued to gather despite restrictions lost their only location for communal prayer. The demolition followed earlier measures such as fines, eviction orders, and denial of property rights, leaving the community increasingly vulnerable. In practical terms, religious life was reduced to informal or private gatherings, as no official spaces remained. This act symbolized not only the removal of a building but the deliberate elimination of a visible religious and cultural presence tied to Ukraine.

Russian occupation forces are systematically liquidating the Catholic Church across occupied Ukrainian territories. According to Ukrainian Catholic leadership, there is no longer a single Catholic priest remaining in these regions. Russia has formally banned the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and major Catholic organizations like the Knights of Columbus. In areas like Mariupol, Maryinka, Volnovakha, and Lysychansk, Catholic churches have been completely destroyed. Clergy members who refused to abandon their parishes have faced forced deportation, arrest, and brutal torture. Across Ukraine, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of 52 faith leaders and damage or destruction to more than 650 churches. This targeted campaign forces religious communities completely underground to escape severe Kremlin-backed persecution.

In the documentary, Ukrainian Catholic priest Father Shashko recounts his decision to remain in Melitopol following Russia’s full-scale invasion. He initially focused on delivering bread and medicine to vulnerable villages, enduring frequent harassment at Russian military checkpoints. Within a week of the occupation, systematic religious crackdowns began, marked by the arrest, interrogation, and severe torture of local clergy. The Russian secret police (FSB) eventually targeted his church because Catholicism did not align with Moscow’s political agenda. Agents raided his property, stole his belongings, and demanded he violate the seal of confession. When Father Shashko refused, they beat him, forced him to strip, and subjected him to intense psychological torment. Following this abuse, he was blindfolded and deported into a heavily mined “gray area” between opposing military lines. After a perilous journey on foot, he was rescued by Ukrainian soldiers and brought to safety in Zaporizhzhia.

Protestant and other minority religious communities in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine have faced systematic pressure, restrictions, and in some cases direct persecution. Non-Orthodox Christian communities – such as Baptists, Pentecostals, Adventists, and independent Protestant churches – have been particularly vulnerable due to their institutional independence and lack of alignment with dominant religious structures promoted by occupying authorities. The article describes patterns of church closures, confiscation or repurposing of religious buildings, interruptions of worship services, and increased surveillance of clergy and congregants as well as reports of intimidation, detentions, and forced displacement of religious leaders, which severely undermines the ability of these communities to function openly. In many cases, believers are left without access to regular worship, sacraments, or community support systems. The religious repression in occupied Ukraine is not limited to a single denomination but affects a broad spectrum of minority faiths, especially those perceived as socially or politically independent.

In Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine restrictions are imposed on religious communities, particularly on Protestant and Evangelical churches. Occupying forces have ordered the closure of church buildings, preventing congregations from holding regular Sunday services, Bible studies, and community meetings. Several pastors are said to have been arrested or taken for questioning after refusing to register their churches under occupation-controlled administrations. In some locations, church property has been sealed or confiscated, while congregants are forced to meet secretly in private homes to avoid penalties. There were instances where clergy were warned to stop preaching or face detention, creating direct pressure on religious leadership. These measures have led to the suspension of organized worship in multiple communities and the breakdown of local church structures. The article presents these actions as targeted restrictions affecting non-Orthodox Christian groups in particular, significantly limiting their ability to operate openly and safely in occupied territories.

Russian occupation forces and Kremlin-backed separatists in Ukraine systematically target Protestant and Evangelical communities, viewing independent churches as intelligence fronts. In occupied territories like Melitopol and Slovyansk, occupation forces have raided houses of prayer, confiscated properties, forced pastors to violate the sanctity of confession, and subjected believers to torture, abductions, and mock executions. These religious crackdowns account for 34% of all documented cases of religious persecution in these zones. Despite severe state-sponsored repression and the threat of state violence, Ukrainian Protestants have mobilized an extensive network of volunteers and chaplains. Operating in dangerous frontline areas, they manage critical rescue efforts, evacuate thousands of residents, rebuild shelled homes, and establish essential supply pipelines for medicine, bread, and heating.

The war in eastern Ukraine has fundamentally transformed the country’s Protestant communities, forcing them to balance severe persecution with an unprecedented humanitarian mobilization. Following the 2014 occupation of regions like Slovyansk by Russia-backed separatists, Protestant believers faced violent crackdowns, including abductions, mock executions, and targeted killings. Militants routinely viewed the cellular structure of Protestant churches with suspicion, misinterpreting spiritual cell groups as clandestine partisan or military units. In response to this crisis, local churches rapidly adapted by pivoting toward social activism and front-line chaplaincy. Congregations orchestrated the evacuation of thousands of displaced citizens, established dozens of missionary outposts along the demarcation line, and built essential local enterprises like bakeries to stimulate economic self-reliance.

The US Department of State’s 2016 Report on International Religious Freedom for Crimea outlines severe religious freedom abuses following Russia’s occupation. While the international community recognizes Crimea as legally subject to the constitution and laws of Ukraine, Russian occupation authorities have imposed restrictive Russian laws on the peninsula. Russian media and occupation forces have actively carried out a campaign to create suspicion, fear, and hostility toward targeted religious groups. In particular, Crimean Tatar Muslims are targeted with false accusations linking them to radical Islamic terrorism. Concurrently, Christian denominations independent of Moscow – such as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate (UOC-KP) and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) – are publicly slandered as “fascists” for supporting Ukrainian sovereignty. The United States government continues to officially condemn these state-sponsored abuses and monitor the targeted intimidation of both Muslim and Christian populations.

Since 2014, Crimean Tatar Muslims have been among the primary victims of religious persecution by Russian occupation authorities, forcing many to flee to mainland Ukraine. Individuals and families describe how security forces carried out home searches, detained community members, and targeted religious leaders. Some left after neighbors or imams were arrested on extremism-related charges. Although they found relative safety in other parts of Ukraine, they lost access to their homes, mosques, and established communities. Even years later, displaced families continue to experience a sense of exile. The persecution thus extends beyond immediate repression, resulting in long-term displacement and the fragmentation of religious and cultural life.

In the years following the 2014 occupation, Russian authorities increasingly targeted independent Muslim communities in Crimea, including the group in Alushta. Using legal mechanisms, officials accused the community of violating registration rules and, by 2024, secured a court decision to liquidate it. As a result, community members lost their mosque and the legal right to gather for worship. Religious activities were effectively banned or pushed into informal settings. Alushta case is part of a broader campaign against Muslim communities not controlled by state-approved structures. The closure of mosques disrupted daily religious practice and dismantled community networks, demonstrating how administrative tools are used to suppress religious freedom.

Before 2014, Ukraine’s vibrant Muslim population, primarily composed of Crimean Tatars, lived mostly in Crimea and the Donbas regions. The 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea and eastern conflict triggered initial internal displacement, pushing thousands toward central and western regions. This displacement accelerated drastically following the 2022 full-scale invasion, which destroyed numerous Islamic religious and cultural centres. Consequently, many foreign nationals and Ahiska Turks fled abroad, while about 50,000 Ukrainian Muslims became internally displaced. Despite severe disruptions to their religious practices, many local Muslims actively supported the war effort through military enlistment and humanitarian volunteering. This ongoing conflict has fundamentally redrawn Ukraine’s Muslim map. The significant influx of displaced populations into western cities like Lviv has prompted the establishment of new mosques and halal infrastructure, demonstrating the community’s profound resilience.

This video documents the suppression of Jewish life and religious freedom in Russian-occupied Melitopol, Ukraine. Prior to the invasion, Melitopol’s Jewish community served as a vibrant cultural centre where members gathered every Friday. The conflict brought immense fear, physical danger, and administrative pressure as armed Russian forces coerced local residents to accept Russian passports. The occupation led to horrific human rights abuses, including the fatal torture of a local woman named Nataliia Rypalchenko. Due to targeted intimidation and lack of protection, many residents were forced to flee. Despite suffering devastating drone and missile attacks, the remaining Ukrainian people have grown stronger in their faith. Displaced community members now live in exile, holding onto hope for the eventual liberation of Melitopol.

In an insightful interview, historian Illya Lukovenko details how the full-scale Russian invasion completely devastated Mariupol’s vibrant Jewish community and systematically destroyed its sacred infrastructure. The destruction of a synagogue in Mariupol, Ukraine, demonstrates the broader pattern of damage inflicted on Jewish cultural and religious heritage during the armed conflict. The building was severely destroyed, leaving only the outer walls standing as a physical reminder of what once functioned as a place of worship and community life. The focus is not only on material loss but also on the symbolic erasure of local Jewish history and identity. Jewish religious communities in conflict-affected regions face heightened vulnerability, as sacred sites are often damaged, repurposed, or left in ruins. The loss affects not only practicing worshippers but also the broader community for whom such sites represent historical continuity, memory, and coexistence.