Page 1 - Persecution Trends Report 2025

PERSECUTION
TRENDS 2025
From the Middle East
to Africa, Asia and even
Europe, Christians are
facing sustained and,
in some cases, growing
persecution and hostility
from militant groups and
repressive governments.
In this year’s annual
Persecution Trends report,
Release International
partners describe how
Christians have been
treated in the past 12
months and look ahead
to the challenges they are
likely to face in
the coming year
EUROPE
UKRAINE
The persecution of Christians in the
Ukrainian territories occupied by
Russia since the invasion of 2022 has
been systematically increasing, said
our partners.
‘Only the Moscow Orthodox Church
is recognised.. All other Ukrainian
churches have been closed down and
their buildings seized.
‘Ukrainian Christians in the occupied
territories are obligated to obtain
Russian citizenship and re-register their
churches under Russian law. They need
to sever all connections with churches
in other parts of Ukraine, as well as in
the West. If not, they will be considered
spies. Even praying for Ukraine is
criminalised by the Russian regime.’
In 2023 and last year Ukrainian
evangelicals in the occupied territories
became underground believers, after
95 per cent of church buildings were
seized. Christians met in small groups
Ukrainian Orthodox churches are among those that have been targeted by the Russians
in homes but when these were raided
some were detained and others
deported.
Our partners expect that in 2025
Christians in the occupied territories
will remain under pressure to obtain
Russian citizenship but believers will
carry on meeting in small groups,
which is unlawful and makes them
vulnerable to arrest. It is possible
the Russians will try to create show
churches, controlled by the Federal
Security Service (FSB), to provide an
impression of freedom of worship
in the Ukrainian areas they control.
Meanwhile underground church
leaders will be harassed, threatened
with arrest, beatings and deportation.
Their lives may also be at risk.
‘The majority of Ukrainian Christians
have already fled the occupied
territories. Those who remain will
have to choose between becoming
Russian citizens, which may allow them
some freedom to function in the FSB-
controlled churches, or staying true to
their original calling and continuing
underground. If they [choose the latter],
they will face increasing pressure.
Basically, all forms of harassment and
persecution may be expected because
the Russian regime will not tolerate any
form of Ukrainian Christianity in their
territories.’
‘The war has a strong
religious component’
Our partners added: ‘The war has a
strong religious component. [Vladimir]
Putin is building his regime, working
hand in hand with the Moscow
Orthodox Church through which he
wants to control the hearts and minds
of citizens. He has already achieved this
goal in Russia itself.
‘Ukrainian Christians have no doubt
that in each city and village taken
by Russians freedom of worship will
be over and they will have to go
underground. Some of our key partners
said that, if captured by the Russians,
they would be killed.’
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