In the fourth year of a full-scale war, Ukrainians are changing not only their way of life, but also their way of thinking about faith. A few years ago, issues of confession might have seemed secondary, but after the Russian invasion, they have become political. And now religious identity is not just a ritual, but often a position.
A recent poll by Gradus Research shows: The Orthodox Church of Ukraine is still in the lead, but its support has dropped from 32% in 2023 to 29% in 2025. And it's not because Ukrainians are returning en masse to the Moscow Patriarchate — no. It's just that more and more people do not identify with any denomination, although they consider themselves believers.
24% of Ukrainians described themselves as “Orthodox without a denomination.” And this is not religious apathy, but rather a desire to keep their distance from institutions that have lost trust or failed to withstand the test of war.
The OCU still dominates, but its growth has stopped. The UOC (MP) has retained its niche — about 8%, like last year. But if you look at the dynamics, the outflow from the Moscow Patriarchate is no longer in favor of the OCU, but into the “free zone”: people remain with God, but without a church address.
Another 8% of respondents called themselves Greek Catholics. 15% do not believe at all: this is a stable indicator, almost unchanged over two years.
Despite the growing number of non-believers, 90% of Ukrainians still plan to celebrate Easter. For some, it's simply a time to be with family, for others, it's a time to visit church.
This year, only 29% do not plan to go to church, although last year there were as many as 40%. A significant part — 51% — will go to service on Sunday or during the Easter week. Another 20% have not yet decided. Ukrainians want to restore the usual rhythm of life — with rituals, tradition, and light.
"Religious transformation is taking place. People are looking for new forms — not always connected with the church structure," says Yevheniya Blyznyuk, head of Gradus Research. This is especially true for young people: for them, spirituality is not necessarily about a candle and a cross, but about inner ethics.
Formally, Ukraine is a state where the church is separate. But in reality, faith has not disappeared, it has simply changed form: less public, less ritualistic, but often more conscious. And it seems that it is this kind of faith that helps Ukrainians hold on in the darkest times.
