"Religious freedom for Protestants and Catholics in Russia is legally protected but practically constrained by restrictive laws and bureaucratic hurdles.
Practical Reality:
Many Catholic and Protestant communities operate under constant threat of closure or fines.
Foreign clergy face visa restrictions and expulsion.
Some groups have been designated as "extremist" and banned entirely.
Local authorities often apply regulations selectively, with Orthodox groups facing fewer obstacles.
The situation varies significantly by region, with some areas more tolerant than others. International human rights organizations consistently report that while nominal freedom exists, the regulatory environment creates substantial barriers to free religious practice for non-traditional faiths."
A lot of Christians seem to have left FR and we don’t get the discussions that we used to, but the Russian oppression of Christians used to be a common topic.
Protestants and Catholics are oppressed in an effort to suppress actual practicing of Christianity and church going.
It looks like the thread is going to be spammed by something called Grok.
I’ve heard that Orthodoxy is thriving in Russia after decades of persecution, but that Protestants and Catholics have some restrictions.
Let’s be fair: Putin did not outlaw Christianity. Putin, in fact, has a strong alliance with the Russian Orthodox Church.
In Crimea, and other areas of Ukraine now under Russian control, however, Putin has suppressed Catholic parishes, Protestant organizations and those Orthodox Churches not aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Orthodox Church is very open and active in Russia, so obviously Christianity has not been outlawed. However, I do know that in the past, Protestant and Catholic Christians have faced some restrictions, and some persecutions, with the blessing of the Russian Orthodox Church. From what I gather, one reason for Protestants and Catholics facing restrictions is that they are regarded as foreign influences. For example, in the past, Baptists were persecuted because much of the Baptist missionary work in Russia was financed by John D. Rockefeller. I can’t say what the situation is now but, if there are restrictions, past experience can probably tell us why.
I write this as an Orthodox Christian who is often very unhappy with my brethren in Moscow.
Russia’s been persecuting pentecostals and others.
The government pays the salaries of clerics which means that for all practical purposes, the government controls the churches that are on the government payroll.
Isn’t Ukraine doing the same thing?
“… because Putin has outlawed Christianity.”
The Russian Orthodox Church might be surprised at this.