Ukraine

Support for Ukraine is support for religious freedom

Although there are examples of violations, freedom of religion is much better in Ukraine than in Russia. And Ukrainians are likely to face restrictions on their religious freedom if Russia succeeds in invading parts of the country.

The people of Crimea have felt the consequences of Russian legislation introduced with Russia's 2014 annexation. In Crimea, 22 people were fined in 2021 under the Russian so-called anti-mission laws.

Mission is vaguely defined in Russian legislation and the laws are therefore arbitrary, violating people's fundamental rights. Olga Siberjova from the Sova Center for Information and Analysis in Moscow has stated that "virtually everything can be accused of being illegal missionary work". The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine concluded in 2021 that the issuance of fines in Crimea "significantly restricts the ability of religious groups to practice their faith."

The Danish European Mission is co-founder of the news service Forum 18, which monitors whether religious freedom is respected in the former Soviet states. Forum 18 has reviewed 108 convictions for so-called missionary activity in Russia from July 2020 to December 2021. The review shows that the vast majority of those convicted are Protestant or non-Christian minorities, including Muslims and Hare Krishna. According to the review, it is unclear if even one of those convicted was from the Russian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate.

If Russia is only partially successful in its invasion, Ukrainians, especially those belonging to religious minorities, are likely to face significant restrictions on their ability to practice their faith and beliefs.

Russia's violations of religious freedom are a major reason why the fight for Ukraine is important. It is therefore gratifying that the Danish government and the Danes so unequivocally support the Ukrainians' struggle for freedom, which is also a struggle for religious freedom.

How do Christians share their faith?

Since the fall of communism, the church in Ukraine has flourished. Not only in a physical sense, but also spiritually, Ukraine is a granary. Called by some a Bible Belt of the former Eastern Bloc, Ukraine is probably the post-communist country that has sent the most Protestant missionaries since 1991. There are Ukrainians who have planted churches in Africa, India, China and Central Asia.

However, Christians in Ukraine stand on the shoulders of Christians who paid a high price for their faith under communism. In Ukraine, there were examples of Christians being imprisoned simply because of their faith and Christians were secretly allowed to hold church services in the forests. In schools, attempts were made to indoctrinate Christian children with atheism. Paraphrasing Psalm 126 verse 5 of the Bible, one might say that the church in Ukraine after 1991 has reaped with rejoicing what Christians in communist times sowed with tears.

What does the Danish European Mission do

The Danish European Mission's project partner has field staff in eastern Ukraine close to the frontline, where the relief team reaches out to those in need.

Those in need are given bags of food, but also electric blankets to prevent illness if the heat supply fails in the summer due to Russian attacks.

Gas bottles with top burners for cooking and powerbanks are also handed out, so that phones can be charged in the event of a power outage due to Russian attacks.