A bipartisan and bicameral initiative, the Countering Russia’s War on Faith Act, has been introduced in the U.S. Congress. The bill is aimed at holding Russia accountable for the systematic persecution of religious communities in Ukraine and in the temporarily occupied territories. Bill H.R.8433 was introduced in the House of Representatives on April 22, 2026, while its companion bill in the Senate is S.4379.
This was reported by Ukrainian National Information Service, the Washington public affairs bureau of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA).
The document provides that the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Defense must prepare a joint report on Russia’s actions aimed at persecuting, suppressing, or otherwise violating religious freedom in Ukraine and in the occupied territories. The bill also provides for sanctions against foreign individuals involved in such violations.
“Russia is waging not only a territorial war of aggression against Ukraine, but also a systematic war against its religious diversity,” the statement reads.
At the center of the initiative are the persecutions of Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox communities not controlled by Russia, as well as other religious groups that face pressure in the occupied territories.
According to data cited in the statement and in reports about the bill, more than 600 churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious sites have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the full-scale invasion.
More than 50 clergy members have also been killed since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
“Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox communities not controlled by Russia are being persecuted,” the Ukrainian National Information Service emphasizes.
The statement separately notes the role of the Russian Orthodox Church, which supports the war against Ukraine and calls it “holy.” The authors of the initiative believe that this position is part of a broader ideological campaign aimed at destroying Ukrainian identity.
The bill provides that the U.S. president must impose sanctions on individuals responsible for the persecution of religious communities. This is intended to become one of the mechanisms for holding perpetrators accountable.
The Ukrainian National Information Service is calling on citizens to contact their representatives in Congress and ask them to support bills H.R.8433 and S.4379.
H.R.8433 was introduced by Congressman Joe Wilson. Its co-sponsors include Steve Cohen, Brian Fitzpatrick, Marcy Kaptur, Don Bacon, and Mike Quigley. In the Senate, bill S.4379 was introduced by John Kennedy, with Sheldon Whitehouse as a co-sponsor.
“Supporting this bill is a step toward defending religious freedom as a fundamental democratic value,” the statement says.
Citizens are encouraged to write letters to their members of Congress and senators, emphasizing the systematic persecution of religious communities in Ukraine, the destruction of hundreds of places of worship, and the need to punish those responsible for these crimes.
Photo: pressenza.com
Author: Inna Mikhno