Pray for Ukraine
A medieval castle on a river canyon in western Ukraine.
Photo: Moahim, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
About Ukraine
The capital is Kyiv. People speak Ukrainian, with Russian also widely spoken. The largest faith is Christianity.
Source: Wikipedia, with the cited sources it lists.
Prayer briefing for Ukraine
Last updated November 2026. Facts come from the sources listed below.
Current events
The war continues to bring heavy suffering. On 2 November bombs struck a school used as an aid distribution centre in Komyshuvakha, in Zaporizhzhia region. Ukrainian officials said the bombs were Russian, and President Zelenskyy said about 55 people had been killed, with more feared trapped under rubble. Strikes on 7 and 8 November cut power to hundreds of thousands of homes in several regions as winter nears. Families on every side are grieving.
We pray for: Immediate relief, safety and urgent help.
Leadership and politics
Ukraine has an elected President and a parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. The President is Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In July 2026 the government of Yulia Svyrydenko resigned, and on 16 July parliament appointed Sergii Koretskyi as Prime Minister. President Zelenskyy says new talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US are planned soon, but no agreement to end the war has been reached.
We pray for: Wisdom, integrity and justice for those in authority.
Economic health
Inflation was about 8% in August 2026 and the National Bank raised its key rate to 16%. The World Bank estimates that about 42% of people lived in poverty in 2025, nearly double the level of 2021. Repeated strikes have halted work at plants such as the steelworks in Kryvyi Rih, and the draft 2027 budget puts about 44% of national income into defence and relies on help from partners.
We pray for: Provision for families and honest stewardship.
Social and cultural issues
About seven in ten households said in late 2025 that their finances were worse than before the full-scale invasion. People across the country live with air raid alerts and curfews. Reports say civilians, including at least 50 children, are being held in occupied Oleshky. Children, older people and families near the front line are among the most vulnerable.
We pray for: Reconciliation, peace and protection of the vulnerable.
Spiritual landscape
Most Ukrainians are Christian. A Razumkov Centre survey in November 2025, in government-controlled areas, found about 58% Orthodox (about 42% in the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and about 5% in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church), about 12% Greek Catholic, about 3% Protestant and about 1% Roman Catholic. About one in ten call themselves simply Christian, and about 15% have no religious affiliation.
We pray for: Spiritual awakening, hope and the spread of truth.
Religious freedom
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reports that in Russian-occupied areas religious groups have been banned, places of worship raided, and clergy abducted, tortured or imprisoned. Ukrainian groups say hundreds of religious sites have been damaged or destroyed since 2022. A 2024 Ukrainian law allows religious bodies linked to the Russian Orthodox Church to be banned, and Forum 18 and others have raised concerns about how it may be applied.
We pray for: Protection for believers and freedom to worship safely.
Historical wounds
Ukraine carries deep wounds from the twentieth century, above all the Holodomor famine of 1932 to 1933 under Soviet rule, in which scholars estimate about 3.5 to 5 million people died. The full-scale invasion that began in 2022 has added new layers of loss, with homes, churches and whole communities destroyed.
We pray for: National healing, breaking old cycles and deep forgiveness.
Let us pray together
Our Father, we come to You together for Ukraine. Protect civilians from attack, comfort all who grieve on every side of this war, and bring warmth and light through the winter. Give President Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Koretskyi and all who lead wisdom, integrity and justice, and guide every effort toward peace. Provide for families who have lost work, homes and income. Watch over children, older people and those held far from home, and bring them safely back to the people who love them. Draw many hearts to Yourself and let Your hope shine in every church and home. Protect believers of every tradition and give them freedom to worship safely. Heal the deep wounds of the past and of this war, and lead Ukraine and its neighbours in forgiveness and peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Sources
- Kyiv Independent: Russian bombs hit school used as aid centre in Zaporizhzhia region (Nov 2026)
- CBS News: hundreds of thousands without power after Russian strikes; talks next week (Nov 2026)
- Government of Ukraine: Rada appoints Sergii Koretskyi Prime Minister (July 2026)
- Kurs.com.ua: World Bank says poverty in Ukraine has doubled (Aug 2026)
- Razumkov Centre: religious affiliation in Ukraine (Nov 2025)
- RISU: USCIRF 2025 report on Russian-occupied Ukraine (2025)
- Forum 18 (via Christians in Crisis): 2024 law on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Sept 2024)
- Wikipedia: Holodomor
More ways to pray
PrayerCast shares short prayer videos for the nations. Watch its video for Ukraine and pray along.
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