Article 18 Alliance: Russia must be held accountable for crimes against religious communities in Ukraine
On February 24, 2025, on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ambassador Robert Rehak (Czech Republic), Chairman of the International Religious Freedom and Belief Alliance (IRFBA – Article 18 Alliance), released a statement “Three Years of the Devastating Impact of the Russian War on Ukrainian Citizens and Religious Communities.”
Source: IRFBA
The document expresses deep concern about the massive violations of religious freedom and calls on the international community to condemn Russia’s crimes, increase sanctions pressure and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The scale of religious persecution in Ukraine
Over the three years of war, the Russian occupiers have killed 67 Ukrainian clergymen, including chaplains, pastors, and representatives of various denominations. Some of them were executed while performing their spiritual duties.
One of the victims of Russian aggression was Father Maksym Kozachyna, a chaplain of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, who was shot dead by the Russian military at a checkpoint near Ivankiv on February 26, 2022. The occupiers did not allow his body to be buried for several days.
The Russian authorities also arrest and torture priests. On November 16, 2022, in Berdiansk, the occupation forces detained Greek Catholic priests Ivan Levitsky and Bohdan Geleta, accusing them of fabricated crimes. They were tortured in captivity and released only on June 28, 2024.
Destruction of religious buildings
The physical destruction of religious infrastructure has become another aspect of religious persecution. Russian forces damaged or destroyed over 640 religious buildings, including 596 Christian churches.
One of the most recent attacks on religious buildings was a Shahed drone strike on February 11, 2025, on a Baptist church in Yahotyn (Kyiv region). The blast wave smashed windows and doors in the main church and damaged the Sunday school building.
Russian policy of destroying religious pluralism
In the occupied territories, the Russian authorities conduct systematic repressions against religious communities that are not under the control of the Moscow Patriarchate.
- The occupiers have forcibly annexed eight dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, covering more than 1600 parishes and 23 monasteries, to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
- All the communities of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Crimea were liquidated, their churches seized, and the last church of the OCU destroyed in June 2024.
- Crimean Muslims, in particular representatives of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, are subjected to severe repression – joint prayers are used as grounds for detention and prosecution.
- Protestant churches in Crimea are being confiscated and converted into administrative buildings.
Using religion as a tool of war
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) plays an active role in supporting Russian aggression.
- In occupied Zaporizhzhia, ROC priests are distributing materials calling for people to join the Russian army.
- In occupied Melitopol, children’s paramilitary organizations have been created under the leadership of ROC priests.
- Compulsory religious education has been introduced in schools, promoting Russian identity and suppressing Ukrainian culture.
Global reaction to religious repression in Ukraine
Violations of religious freedom in Ukraine have been documented by the UN Monitoring Mission. The European Court of Human Rights has recognized the systematic persecution of religious communities by Russia, and the European Parliament has condemned the use of religion as an instrument of political influence.
An appeal to the international community
In its statement, the Article 18 Alliance calls on the international community to
- condemn massive violations of religious rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine;
- increase pressure on the Russian authorities, in particular through sanctions against religious institutions that support the war;
- bring the perpetrators to justice, including representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church who collaborate with the occupiers;
- protect freedom of religion in Ukraine, including through international monitoring missions.
Robert Rehak, Chairman of the Article 18 Alliance, emphasized that Russia’s systematic persecution of religious communities is a threat not only to Ukraine but also to the international order. He called on all member states of the alliance to take active steps to protect religious freedom and human rights.
The Article 18 Alliance is a coalition of 43 states created to protect and promote freedom of religion and belief in the world. Ukraine has been a full member of this association since its inception.
Full text of the statement: article18alliance.org
