A Christian missionary group in Europe and Asia, whose mission is to spread the gospel in former Soviet republics, claims in a new report that Russian forces have destroyed or damaged at least 600 churches since the 2022 invasion and are guilty of religious persecution across Ukraine. “Faith Under Attack” Report According to the Mission Eurasia report, while most of the destruction and damage to churches was caused by missile, drone and artillery fire, religious sites have also been “deliberately looted by Russian soldiers” and “closed or converted into administrative buildings by the occupying authorities.” Russian forces have also occupied churches to use them as military bases or to cover firing positions, the report said.
“Almost every week there are new reports of Russian forces occupying or looting another church or place of worship,” the report said.
A total of 630 religious sites were destroyed or damaged, according to the report, including over 600 churches, 206 of which were evangelical churches.
Mission Eurasia The organization aims to train and mobilize Christian leaders in 13 countries of the former Soviet Union.
“In Ukraine, persecution by the Russians is on the rise. When the Russians occupy and conquer territory, they basically destroy the churches and drive them out,” Mission Eurasia president Sergey N. Rakba told Crosswalk Headlines. “The Russians intimidate pastors, clergy, priests, church leaders, and basically drive everyone out of the area.”
He added that before the Russian invasion, Ukrainian Christians enjoyed religious freedom.
“I don't know of any other country around Ukraine that has as much religious freedom,” he said. “The Ukrainian government is particularly committed to religious freedom, giving equal rights to all believers, all church traditions and faith traditions, and the right to worship the way they want to.”
Rakba has lived in both Ukraine and Russia, and he says the difference in religious freedom between the two countries is dramatic.
“We had to withdraw from Moscow because of pressure and persecution,” he said. “All foreign missionary organisations that had any kind of connection with foreign countries were expelled from Russia. Where did they go? They all wanted to stay in the same region, so most of them went to Ukraine, and Ukraine welcomed them with open arms.”
Russian Orthodox Church, Eurasian Mission sayIn Russia, the Christian church “came to function more as a cultural and political arm of the government than as a spiritual institution.”
Ukraine needs prayer, he said.
“I ask American Christians to continue praying that God will grant Ukraine the victory and protect their freedom, religious freedom, independence and sovereignty,” he said.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Oleg Spiridonov
Michael Faust He has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years, and his work has appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star and Knoxville News Sentinel.
