Christians Against War

List of Christians persecuted by secular or religious authorities for their anti-war stance now includes 110 names. The list is prepared by Belarusian Christian Ecumenical group @ch_vision_by in cooperation with @shalt_not_kill & Christmas Declaration. shorturl.at/PHXg2

"Christians Against War" Recognized as Foreign Agents in Russia On March 27, the Russian Ministry of Justice updated its registry of "foreign agents." Among others, our project "Christians Against War" was added to the list. Christians Against War is an anti-war Christian initiative founded by activists of Belarusian "Christian Vision" after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Our website was blocked in Russia on September 9, 2023, at the request of an unknown authority. On January 23, 2024, our Telegram channel was added to the list of "extremist materials" in Belarus. A criminal case has been opened against one of the initiative's participants in Belarus for giving an interview to the Belsat TV channel. And "Christian Vision" itself was designated an "extremist group" in Belarus on April 1, 2025.

Patriarch Kirill wished success to Kim Jong-un, the leader of the most repressive country towards Christians. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow "heartily" congratulated Kim Jong-un on his re-election as leader of North Korea. He said the "election," in which the ruling party officially received 99.93% of the vote, "testifies to the broad support for your policy of strengthening the DPRK's sovereignty and promoting its prosperity." The head of the Russian Orthodox Church is also "pleased" that North Korea has one Orthodox church, which "has served as a place of unity for Orthodox believers for many years." "I wish you good health, prosperity, and success in your work for the benefit of your fellow citizens," he concluded. According to Open Doors, North Korea is arguably the most dangerous place on earth to follow Jesus. If someone is discovered to be a Christian, the consequences are unimaginably stark: either imprisonment in one of its notorious labour camps, with little hope of release, or immediate execution. The same fate is likely to await other family members.

In Russia, religious scholar Luchenko was sentenced to eight years in prison. Russian Orthodox journalist and religious scholar Ksenia Luchenko was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for allegedly spreading military "fakes." A Moscow court found her guilty of disseminating fake news about the Russian army (Clause "d" of Part 2 of Article 207.3). She was also banned from administering websites for four years. The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Luchenko in September 2025. On October 24, she was placed on the wanted list and arrested in absentia a month later. The case was prompted by a July 2024 post on her channel "Orthodoxy and Zombies" about a Russian strike on a hospital in Kyiv.

A priest in Belarus was detained by masked security forces in several cars. On March 16, Father Anatol Parachnievič, the rector of a Catholic parish in the village of Alkovičy in the Vileika district, was detained in Belarus. According to human rights activists, several cars arrived at his home in the morning, all wearing masks, and they only left in the evening. The priest's home was sealed off; security forces were also searching for something in the church. The Catholic Church in Belarus still has no official information about the priest's detention, reports @ch_vision_by , citing a message from the Curia Secretariat to priests. The church where the detained priest served has been closed. No mass was held there on March 22. In 2025, Belarusian authorities extradited two Catholic priests convicted of political crimes to the Vatican. Now there is a new political prisoner priest in the country.

Eid al-Fitr in supposedly Orthodox Moscow On March 20, "more than 200,000 Muslims" participated in the morning prayer and sermon for Eid al-Fitr in Moscow, according to the Russian National Guard. This figure is comparable to the 220,000 Orthodox believers the Russian National Guard reported this year who attended Orthodox Christmas services. It's worth noting that the combined number of Muslims and Orthodox Christians who attended the holidays in Moscow represents only slightly more than 3% of Moscow's residents. Nearly 97% of the Russian capital's 13.3 million residents ignored both Orthodox and Muslim services during the holidays. Therefore, there's no point in talking about any special spirituality among Russians that supposedly distinguishes them from people in the West. For reference: almost one in ten Russians lives in Moscow.

A Russian Orthodox Church priest called the letters symbolizing aggression against Ukraine as sacred as the Holy Trinity. Archpriest Yevgeny Shestopalov, rector of the Holy Trinity Church in Sudzha, recorded an appeal in defense of the letters "Z," "V," and "O"—tactical symbols of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Questions about them arose in connection with Russia's law against Latin words and letters. "For us, this letter should be as sacred as the Holy Trinity. For us, 'Z,' 'V,' and 'O' are like God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit," he said. Earlier, the priest said in an interview that humanity needs to "fight" to "stop being children." He himself wanted to sign a contract at the beginning of the war, but "thank God, the Lord prevented me."

Christian families are being detained in Belarus, Russia's allied republic. Human rights activists have learned that at least three Christian families were detained in various Belarusian cities this week. The charges against the detainees are still unknown. There are currently nearly 1,200 known political prisoners in Belarus.

In Russia, a priest was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for a Facebook "like." On March 10, Hieromonk Nikandr (Pinchuk) was tried in Russia for a Facebook "like" in support of the Russian Volunteer Corps, a military unit within the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Russian authorities deemed this a public call to commit terrorist activity, a public justification of terrorism, or terrorist propaganda. He was arrested in October 2025. In 2022, he was fined 100,000 rubles for allegedly repeatedly discrediting the Russian army.

Moscow Patriarch Kirill called Iran's new leader "dear brother." Moscow Patriarch Kirillcongratulated Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on his election as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. "Dear brother! I heartily congratulate you on your election by the Council of Experts of Iran as Supreme Leader of the country! This historic moment has been marked by a difficult personal trial, following the death of your venerable father and loved ones. You are assuming responsibility for the state and its citizens at a dramatic time when Iran faces numerous existential challenges. The peoples of our countries are bound by good-neighborly relations. The Russian Orthodox Church maintains a fruitful dialogue with the Iranian Islamic community, based on mutual respect and a shared desire to preserve traditional moral values. I look forward to its further development."

A religious scholar explained the Russian Orthodox Church's head's condolences over Khamenei's assassination. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow's condolences over the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom he called "a man of deep religious convictions," stem from the Russian Orthodox Church's particular sympathy for the Iranian theocracy. This is according to religious scholar Alexander Soldatov. He notes that Patriarch Kirill has repeatedly stated that the Moscow Patriarchate is "closer to Islam" than to Western Christianity. Furthermore, back in 1995, at the initiative of Kirill, among the many Islamic schools and movements, the Russian Orthodox Church chose Iranian Shiites for "theological dialogue." "On the internal level, the ideology known today as the 'Russian world' was developed by the World Russian People's Council founded by Kirill, while on the external level, a rapprochement with various fundamentalist and totalitarian forces began. One of these was the Shiite leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which offered its model of a theocratic state—the secret dream of Patriarch Kirill—as an alternative to Western globalization," writes Soldatov.

Police raid evangelical churches in Russia Raids on registered Baptist churches have been reported in the Moscow region. On Sunday, March 1, 15 armed security officers in camouflage entered the Annunciation Evangelical Christians-Baptist Church in Nemchinovka. They blocked the building, supported by a similar number of colleagues outside. Representatives from the fire department and Rospotrebnadzor (Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing) participated in the inspection. Security officers conducted a census of believers and photographed their passport information. Many of those present had their personal messages on their mobile phones checked. Similar raids had previously taken place in Saltykovka and Zagoryanka.

Russia to Increase Punishment for "Illegal Missionary Work" On March 2, a bill amending the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation was submitted to the Russian parliament. Among other things, the document proposes increasing the statute of limitations for all offenses under Article 5.26 (violations of laws on freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, and religious associations) from three months to one year. Lawyer Sergei Chugunov explains how this will affect the practice of handling cases of "illegal missionary work": "Often, when protocols and other materials were improperly compiled, judges returned the protocols for correction. The materials were usually not returned to the court in time for the second time. After the adoption of this amendment, this will always be possible." According to Russian law, illegal missionary work is the promulgation of one's faith or devotion without the official prior permission of the authorities.

Six members of the Catholic order Knights of Columbus have died since February 2022 defending Ukraine from Russian aggression. They are: Oleh Vorobiov (1977-2022) Petro Popovych (1966-2022) Denys Tarasov (1979-2023) (on the photo) Mykhailo Shpikula (1984-2023) Oleksii Valchuk (1985-2024) Oleksandr Prashchuk (1973-2025) They were members of the KofC councils in Khmelnytskyi, Lviv, Kolomyia, Hnevan, Zaporizhzhia, and Melitopol.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow sent his "deepest condolences" to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian following the assassination of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ali Khamenei. "The deceased was a man of deep religious convictions, a spiritual and national leader, strong in spirit and character. I ask you to convey my sympathy and support to the family and friends of the deceased. May the All-Merciful God grant them and the entire Iranian people the strength and fortitude to endure the grief of loss," the head of the Russian Orthodox Church noted.

Russia is preparing a significant restriction on religious freedom. Bills have been introduced in the Russian parliament banning missionary activity and religious services in residential premises, as well as religious rites and ceremonies in non-residential premises of apartment buildings and in built-in or attached spaces. The bill would target all faiths that practice home meetings, small congregations without their own buildings or with insufficient funds to rent them, home groups, as well as family prayers, communion, funeral services with relatives, and other religious practices held in homes. Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, Protestant churches and organizations, and Muslims have already spoken out against the bill. They hope that Putin will oppose the legislation, which was drafted by deputies under his control.

The African Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church is helping to deceive Africans into traveling to Russia, where they will soon be recruited to fight in the war against Ukraine. Vocal Africa, a pan-African human rights group, reports that hundreds of Kenyan families have sought help after their sons traveled to Russia under church-linked arrangements. The pattern is disturbingly consistent: young men are approached by individuals connected to the Moscow-aligned Church, offered salaries far above local standards, and encouraged to travel on short-term visas. Once in Russia, their documents are confiscated, bank accounts are opened in their names but controlled by military commanders, and the promised wages vanish. The next step is conscription.

In the Russian city of Volgodonsk, a church was demolished to build fortifications in the "special military operation zone." In the Russian city of Volgodonsk, the Catholic Church of the Holy Family and Blessed Boleslawa was dismantled. The building components were handed over to the Russian military for use in fortifications and for everyday needs in the occupied territories of Ukraine. "I can confirm the transfer of materials from the dismantled church. These materials will help soldiers equip positions," said the commander of the Russian military unit in Ukraine that received the building materials from Volgodonsk. The church in Volgodonsk was consecrated in 1998. About three years ago, the site was purchased by the company "Monrem." On October 17, 2025, the Catholic parish in the city was officially liquidated. Its site will now be converted into a parking lot for company employees.

Ukrainian Archbishop: Fourth Year of This War Is a Shame for Humanity On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Svyatoslav Shevchuk, gave an interview to Vatican media. "I believe that the fourth year of this war is a shame for humanity. It is shameful that in four years the international community has failed to stop the deadly hand of the aggressor. Some historians have noted that World War II on our lands lasted less than the current Russian aggression against Ukraine. This is something that should never have begun, and it must now end. Therefore, on this sad anniversary, I call on everyone to make a vow to God and to themselves: to build peace. Politicians must fulfill their duty. People of the Church and diplomacy, as well as the Christian one, must do their part. The military, volunteers – everyone is called to do their part. We must do everything possible to stop the aggressor."

Patriarch Kirill: Serving in the army is fulfilling a Divine commandment On February 23, Soviet Army Day, known in modern Russia as Defender of the Fatherland Day, Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev) of Moscow praised the Russian army. He noted that "the Church has always been close to the army" and that it is necessary to continue "spiritually supporting our Armed Forces." "And since this is directly related to the commandment of love for one's neighbor, then, by fulfilling our duty to the Fatherland, we simultaneously fulfill a Divine commandment," the head of the Russian Orthodox Church declared. He delivered his speech on the eve of the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, which the Moscow Patriarchate has actively supported from the very beginning.