Russia’s war in Ukraine has systematically targeted religious sites in Ukraine, with around 500 churches damaged or destroyed since February 2022. A recent and significant escalation occurred on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025, when a Russian missile struck downtown Sumy, killing 35 churchgoers and wounding over 100.
Previous attacks directly targeted churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship, including a UNESCO world heritage church in Odesa. Russian attacks on churches primarily serve to demoralize the Ukrainian population, of which 82% identify as Christian, and erode the nation’s cultural identity.