Ukraine Imprisons Two More Jehovah’s Witnesses for Refusing Military Service

In July 2026, authorities in Ukraine imprisoned two more of Jehovah’s Witnesses for refusing military service on grounds of conscience, according to a report published on the group’s jw.org news site. The report says 36 Witnesses are currently imprisoned for their faith in Ukraine. It states that these men and hundreds of others continue to face prosecution and imprisonment for their neutral stand, even though they are willing to perform alternative civilian service (ACS), which the report says is guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine.

Andrii Olyseienko, 54, began serving a three-year prison sentence on July 8, 2026. The report says a court in the Sumy Region convicted him a month earlier for refusing to serve in the military. Before his imprisonment, Olyseienko said he finds support and encouragement in the examples of Jehovah’s faithful servants in the Bible and that he regularly reads reports on jw.org about Witnesses facing persecution today. He said those examples help him remain steadfast.

On July 31, Maksym Dvernik, 29, also began serving a three-year prison sentence. The report says the sentence was handed down by a court in the Zhytomyr Region. It notes that from 2017 to 2020 Dvernik performed ACS instead of serving in the military. According to the report, he is maintaining a positive attitude. He said recently that he sees these trials as a fulfillment of prophecy spoken by Jesus and as an opportunity to give a fine witness and to glorify Jehovah.

The report states that Witnesses worldwide pray constantly that Jehovah will continue to support and protect their brothers in Ukraine and their families. It also says the group is confident that Jehovah is proving to be a secure refuge for them.

Source: Read the original report