At present, 34 Witnesses are incarcerated in the country for their conscientious objection.
In January 2026, a court in the Vinnytsia Region convicted Dmytro Kozhemiakin, 37, sentencing him to one year of probation.
On May 26, Dmytro began serving his sentence.
He expressed that the prayers of fellow believers and “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding” continue to sustain him.
On May 28, a court in the Lviv Region ordered the detention of Liubomyr Tomchuk, 47.
The judge offered conditional release if Liubomyr agreed to reside within a military facility.
Remaining true to his convictions, he declined and remains in custody.
Liubomyr shared: “I am claustrophobic, so being held in a pretrial detention center was challenging.
“But I was placed in a cell with another brother, which I saw as a blessing from Jehovah.
“Experiences like that strengthen my trust in Jehovah, and that trust is helping me to remain steadfast.”
On June 3, a court in the Zakarpattia Region ordered the detention of Mykhailo Hoshii, 49, and Bohdan Turushev, 30.
Bail was denied for both men.
On June 8, Serhii Bashkirov, 58, was transferred to a prison facility in the Vinnytsia Region.
Earlier in January, a district court had sentenced him to two years of probation for refusing military service.
Following a government appeal, a higher court increased his sentence to three years’ imprisonment in April.
Before his incarceration, Serhii reflected: “I pray to Jehovah and ask for his help to make the right decisions.
“He answers by providing clear direction through his Word and organization.
“Our dear brothers and sisters constantly show loving concern for my family and me.
“All these things help me to feel calm and to know that I have Jehovah’s approval.”
As Jehovah’s Witnesses in Ukraine continue to face trials of integrity, fellow believers worldwide pray that Jehovah will “watch over them” as they remain determined to be “no part of the world.”
