As Orthodox Christians in Ukraine prepared to mark Easter Sunday, the UK Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) painted a grim picture of Russia’s suppression of religious freedom in occupied territories.
In a powerful statement, the envoy condemned Moscow’s “brutal tactics” to subjugate the civilian population and violently enforce its own strict religious doctrine.
Furthermore, the ambassador raised the case of Father Stepan Podolchak, a 59-year-old Ukrainian Orthodox priest who died from torture in February after refusing to align his Kherson church with the Russian Orthodox Church.
“Stepan’s tragic death is not an anomaly but fits the brutal tactics of the Kremlin Playbook,”
the statement read.
Other harrowing examples cited included:
- Two Greek Catholic priests unlawfully detained in Zaporizhzhia since November 2022, with one suffering from acute diabetes
- Widespread arrests of Crimean Tatars and Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose faith is entirely banned
- Seizures of religious buildings and transfer to the Russian Orthodox Church
- Prohibitions on religious literature and fines for “illegal missionary activities”
Russia’s Domestic Repression Exported to Ukraine
The damning report alleged that ever since its 2014 annexation of Crimea, Russia has exported the same draconian repression of religious freedom that exists within its own borders. However, the UK claimed this systemic campaign of persecution has “intensified and expanded” to further occupied areas since Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year.
According to the statement, independent UN reporting laid bare Russia’s “harrowing” violations, with mass detentions, deportations, and even killings of religious leaders who refused to submit to Moscow’s authority.
The UK pledged to work with partners to hold perpetrators accountable.
| Key Human Rights Violations |
|---|
| Torture of detainees |
| Arbitrary arrests |
| Forced deportations |
| Denying medical care |
| Seizing places of worship |
‘Eliminate Diversity’ Through Subjugation
In a stinging rebuke, the ambassador accused the Kremlin of seeking to
“subjugate the civilian population and eliminate diversity of religion, culture and identity”
in the areas it occupies.
She claimed that Russia’s systematic abuses “cannot be tolerated” while stating that the “sole path” to restoring freedoms in Ukraine was for Moscow’s forces to fully withdraw.
“Russia must uphold its international obligations by immediately halting the persecution of religious figures and unconditionally releasing all those it has unlawfully detained,” the statement concluded.
The harsh condemnation reinforced the UK’s unwavering stance that Putin’s invasion represents an existential threat to Ukraine’s sovereignty and democratic values. In light of the absence of any diplomatic breakthrough, the religious persecution appears poised to persist as a tragic consequence of Russia’s illegal occupation.
Further information on this situation is available at the United Nations.
Sources: THX News, Foreign Office, OSCE, Venice.coe & Neil Holland.
