Faith Under Siege: Russians Destroyed All Protestant Churches in Melitopol, Ukraine

Mark Sergeev is a youth pastor and worship leader in Ukraine. His church in Melitopol fell victim to the Russian invasion.

The city was occupied by Russian forces on February 24, 2022. Upon their arrival, one of the first targets for the Russians were the evangelical churches. Melitopol had more Protestant ones than Orthodox. On March 9th, the Russians broke into Mark’s church.

They desecrated the place by cutting down the cross in front of the church and replacing it with a Russian flag. The congregants, including Mark and others, were interrogaed and tortured.

Tragically, there is no longer a single Protestant church standing in Melitopol, as the Russians destroyed everything, Mark says.

It’s crucial to understand that this war goes beyond a territorial, resource, or freedom struggle; Ukrainians are also fighting for their faith and religious freedom. Let us unite in prayer for Ukraine, its people, and individuals like Mark who are enduring immense hardship due to this war.