News Feed

Russia purges non-Kremlin-aligned churches from occupied territories

1 min read

Russians have started to forcibly integrate religious centers in Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Kremlin-controlled churches and mosques, the Ukrainian military's National Resistance Center reported on Dec. 26.

According to the center, the Russian-state-funded organization "Russian Association for the Protection of Religious Freedom" is operating in occupied territories to rid them of non-Russian-state-aligned churches.

The organization has been auditing the properties of Protestant and Orthodox Church of Ukraine churches, as well as mosques that are not under the control of the Russian-state spiritual administration of Islam.

After Russia invaded and annexed Crimea in 2014, it implemented similar policies against the local Muslim Tatar population.

Religion has played a key role in spreading Russian-state propaganda and ideology. The Russia-backed Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate has recently been accused by Ukraine's security services of collaborating with Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council has proposed banning Russian-affiliated religious groups, including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv seeks Russia expelled from UN, aims for peace summit by end of February
Article image
Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed

The World Bank will provide $200 million over the next five years to prepare Ukrainian projects for large-scale reconstruction, the Economy Ministry announced on July 11. The funding will be available under the five-year PREPARE program with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA).

Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More