Since the start of the full-scale war, Russian invaders either destroyed or damaged 630 religious buildings in Ukraine and killed more than 40 priests and pastors.
This was stated by the head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience, Viktor Yelensky, who spoke at an Ukrinform press conference.
“During this war, more than 40 priests and pastors were killed, and 630 religious buildings were destroyed or damaged. Cases of abductions of clergymen have also been recorded, such as in Kherson region, where on February 14, a priest from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Stepan Podolchak, was abducted,” Yelensky informed.
He noted that Russia is one of the countries where religious freedoms are most severely restricted, and what is happening in the occupied territories is not subject to any legal definition at all.
According to the head of the agency, the Russian Orthodox Church actively persecutes religious organizations that are beyond its jurisdiction.
“When the Russian Federation declares its desire to protect the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the latter should first of all be protected from Russia. During the war, 14 priests from this church were killed, more than 100 churches were destroyed, and almost 200 damaged,” said Yelensky.
He recalled that in August a law was adopted to terminate the activities of religious organizations affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church on the territory of Ukraine. The Russian Orthodox Church directly declared its participation in the war against Ukraine, so this law is aimed at protecting Ukrainian identity and statehood from the influence of this church.
