Russian Missionaries ArrestedMay 8, 2026 — On April 29, four Christians were fined by the peace court of the Kirovsky district of Kazan, Russia, for “illegal missionary work.” They were each fined 15,000 Russian rubles (about...
Preacher Found Dead in Russian Prison April 23, 2026 — A blogger and preacher, known to the internet as Vegan Christ-Lover of God, died this month while in Russian custody. Khristolyub Bozhiy, 43, ran a blog and YouTube channel where he spoke about religion, veganism, and the war in...
Ukrainian Pastor Exiled from Russian-Controlled Region March 27, 2026 — Russian officials recently ordered a Ukrainian pastor to leave the Russian-occupied Luhansk region, claiming he led church services without their permission. Vladimir Rytikov, 66, was given two weeks’ notice, starting March 21, to leave the region. Russian authorities refused...
Hundreds of Churches Destroyed by Russian Forces in UkraineMarch 6, 2026 — According to a report published earlier this year by Mission Eurasia, a parachurch ministry dedicated to equipping churches in and around Ukraine, Russian forces have damaged or destroyed at least...
Russia’s Persecution of Ukrainian Churches Continues as War Enters Fifth YearFebruary 24, 2026 — As Russia’s war against Ukraine enters its fifth year this week, religious communities in Russian-occupied territories face increasing pressure, harassment, and violence. Reports from church leaders and human rights groups indicate that...
Report Reveals Top Global Christian PersecutorsJanuary 30, 2026 — In a January 2026 report, the International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF) detailed some of the world’s top perpetrators of violence against Christians across five continents. The group, with the...
Russia Continues Crackdown on Unregistered Baptist ChurchesNovember 10, 2025 — Russian courts banned three more Baptist churches in October for failing to register with the government, according to the religious freedom watchdog Forum 18. These churches, located in the southern...
Pastor Sentenced to Labor Camp for Sermon Opposing Russia’s War in Ukraine September 5, 2025 — 9/5/2025 Russia (International Christian Concern) — On Sept. 3, Nikolay Romanyuk, 63, was found guilty of making “Public calls to implement activities directed against the security of the Russian Federation,”...
Christians in Former-Soviet Central Asian Nations Increasingly Face PersecutionJune 12, 2025 — 6/12/2025 Central Asia (International Christian Concern) — Formerly part of the USSR, the five “stan” countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — have a mix of ex-Soviet authoritarianism...
Persecution of Ukrainian Christians: From Within and Without March 10, 2025 — By Linda Burkle, Ph.D., ICC Fellow In the summer of 2023, I traveled to Ukraine with a disaster response team. Our host was a YWAM (Youth With A Mission)(1) base...
Russia: Where the Government Controls, Represses the ChurchNovember 27, 2024 — 11/27/2024 Russia (International Christian Concern) — Harsh communist controls on society and an aggressive military campaign against Ukraine have led to increased crackdowns on religious freedom in areas of Russian...
Russian Navy Drills in Myanmar as Ethnoreligious Minorities Continue to Suffer October 22, 2024 — 10/22/2024 Myanmar (International Christian Concern) — News this week that four Russian warships and a logistics vessel arrived in Yangon for joint exercises with the Myanmar military comes as ethnoreligious...
Examining the Intergenerational Trauma of PersecutionAugust 9, 2024 — By Lisa Navarrette, ICC Fellow Intergenerational trauma resulting from Christian persecution refers to the psychological and emotional wounds passed down through successive generations within Christian communities affected by persecution. This form...
20 Dead Following Attacks on Churches, Synagogues in RussiaJune 25, 2024 — 6/24/2024 Russia (International Christian Concern) — An unknown group believed to be Islamic extremists attacked several churches, synagogues, and a police traffic stop on Sunday evening in Dagestan, Russia. The...
What Putin’s Re-Election Means for ChristiansMarch 22, 2024 — 03/22/2024 Russia (International Christian Concern) – President Vladimir Putin of Russia was re-elected on March 15 for his fifth presidential term. Ruling for nearly a quarter-century, Putin received 87% of...
Russian Foreign Minister to Visit North Korea this WeekOctober 18, 2023 — 10/18/2023 North Korea (International Christian Concern) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to visit the isolated country of North Korea on Wednesday and Thursday. His visit comes on...
