Overview
The mineral-rich country of Ukraine is Europe’s second largest country by area (after Russia) and has a population of nearly 42 million. It borders Russia to the east and north-east and also shares borders with Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova.
The land that is now Ukraine has had a varied history, but it was part of the old Soviet Union until 1991, when the dissolution of the latter saw Ukraine gain its independence.
Since that time its relationship with Russia to the east and Europe to the west has fluctuated. In 2013 the government of President Viktor Yanukovych suspended the then Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement and sought closer ties with Russia. This in turn led to a series of demonstrations and protests within the country that eventually led to the Ukrainian parliament voting to remove Yanukovych from office. This in turn led to the annexation of the Crimean peninsula by Russia in 2014. It also marked the beginning of conflict in the Donbas region to the south east (made up of the administrative areas of Donetsk and Luhansk) between separatist forces and the new Ukrainian government. This protracted conflict provided the backdrop to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
What it means to be a Christian in Ukraine
Christianity has a long and strong history in Ukraine. As such the church suffered extensive persecution under the Communism of the Soviet era. Since independence Ukraine has enjoyed freedom of religion. Christianity is the largest religion in the country, with the majority identifying with one of the strands of the Orthodox church. Protestants make up less than 5% of the population.
Persecution
The build-up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 threw a fresh spotlight on the nation of Ukraine and some of its regional tensions.
In particular, in the two separatist areas of Donetsk and Luhansk there has been a marked erosion of religious freedom since 2014. The Norway-based human rights and religious freedom organisation Forum 18 has reported that Protestant churches have been made illegal, along with any church not part of the Moscow Patriarchate, and have been forced to close in those areas. It reports that in February 2018 the Luhansk People’s Republic passed a Religion Law that required every religious community to re-register with authorities. Since the passing of the law registration has been refused for every Protestant, Baptist and Pentecostal community. Along with the enforced closure of churches the Russian-backed authorities banned a number of Christian books. According to Forum 18, the secret police in those regions have carried out raids on places of worship. Gas, water and electricity have been cut off from all unregistered religious buildings.
Voice of Persecuted Christians work
Voice of Persecuted Christians currently has two projects in Ukraine. The first supports frontline workers, carrying out evangelistic and pastoral work, as well as providing humanitarian aid for victims of the current war. The second project seeks to encourage Christian leaders who have experienced trauma. Regular retreats are held to enable them to regain their strength and renew their hope.
