Moscow Patriarchate Seizes Church in Tokmak, Barring Congregation from Worship

Religious Persecution in Ukraine

According to Главком: On April 12, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate seized the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in the city of Tokmak, Zaporizhzhia region. The local congregation was subsequently barred from praying in the church. This incident is part of a broader pattern of systematic persecution of the faithful in occupied territories, where individuals who resist or defend their right to faith can face up to 15 years of imprisonment from the occupying authorities. This conflict is part of Russia's wider campaign to suppress Ukrainian religious and cultural identity.

Challenges to Religious Freedom

The State Service of Ukraine for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience reports that systematic work is ongoing to identify signs of affiliation between religious organizations and the Russian Orthodox Church. As of the end of March 2026, no such organization that ignored the requirement to remove signs of affiliation had been shut down through the courts. This highlights severe problems regarding religious freedom in the occupied territories, where legal mechanisms are failing to protect communities.

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav, underscored the gravity of the situation, stating: 'This is blasphemy against the Risen Lord – the Prince of Peace! And on the feast of Easter, no less.'

The situation concerning religious freedom in the occupied territories of Ukraine continues to deteriorate. Systematic persecution of the faithful, particularly in the context of organizations linked to the Russian Orthodox Church, is becoming increasingly overt. The seizure of churches and the prohibition of participation in religious rites are creating societal tension and raising alarm among international observers monitoring human rights compliance in Ukraine.

The ongoing crackdown on religious freedoms in occupied Ukrainian territories is underscored by recent actions taken by the State Service of Ukraine. They have identified several religious organizations with ties to the banned Russian Orthodox Church, prompting legal measures against them. This revelation sheds light on the broader implications of the seizure of places of worship, as detailed in our report on the situation in Tokmak. For more insights into these developments, visit the identification of affiliated religious groups.