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We’re kicking off the Beyond Bucha impact campaign today with national ads, theatrical screenings in Boston next weekend, and the film’s Ukraine premiere the following weekend in Odesa.
National TV Ads – The campaign launches nationally today with an ad airing on Boomer Esiason’s Gametime, thanks to the tireless energy and support of the film’s executive producer, Alex Gamota, and his non-profit, Bear Witness. A huge thank-you as well to Jim Moskovitz, the creator of the 20-second ad and a Gametime producer, for his generous contribution to the cause. Take a look! Boston Premiere Weekend Screenings – On June 7th and 8th, we’ll be hosting screenings at independent theaters across Boston. I’ll be attending each one to participate in Q&A sessions and am excited to see the new hour-long version of the film on the big screen in some amazing venues. If you’re in the Boston area, please stop by to enjoy the film and connect with others who care about the experiences of Christians facing such grave risks in Ukraine. For more info—and to register for any of the screenings—visit TheoEco.org/BeyondBuchaBostonWeekend. Use promo code Beyond for free admission. 
Odesa Screenings – The day after our Boston events, I’ll be heading back to Ukraine for the Beyond Bucha Ukraine premiere, with two screenings in Odesa on June 14th and 15th. For security reasons (Putin is not a fan), we’re keeping the venues and times private for now, but we’ll share details after the events. Stops in Bucha, Irpin, and Kyiv are also on the itinerary. I can’t wait!
Thanks again to all of you who continue to support this work and Ukrainian independence. In the end, that’s what this project is truly all about. 
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My final church visit in Ukraine felt like stepping into a Texas mega-church—an energetic service with a vibrant worship band, professional media setup, and a congregation full of families. After the service, I interviewed Pastor Anton Kalyuzhny of New Life Church, a non-denominational congregation. He offered moving reflections on how war reshapes faith, urging believers to embrace lament and recognize God's shared sorrow: “When you are in a war, you cannot run away from pain and evil... He’s crying with us.” Pastor Anton also issued a heartfelt plea to conservatives and evangelicals in the West. Though most Ukrainians are deeply conservative, they’re often mischaracterized as liberals by American media. He expressed deep frustration over how conservative outlets have distorted Ukraine’s reality, leading many U.S. evangelicals to dismiss the voices of their Ukrainian brothers and sisters. He warned that trusting pundits like Tucker Carlson over firsthand testimony from Ukrainian believers is a painful betrayal—“a knife in our hearts.” His call was clear: listen to Ukrainian evangelicals themselves, not just the media narratives. For more go to: We’ve Learned How to Lament and to See that He's Crying With Us. On July 23, 2023, a Russian missile strike severely damaged the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, shocking people around the world, including Christians across America. Despite the attacks, Odesans remain fiercely devoted to their city—a resilience I’ve seen throughout Ukraine. My translator, Sasha Pinchuk, embodies that spirit. Born in Sevastopol, Crimea, Sasha’s family left in 2014. In 2017, he spent a year in Newport while his father studied at the Naval War College. After Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Sasha’s mother and siblings fled to the U.S., staying with a family friend in Rhode Island for 18 months. His father remained in Ukraine, serving on the front lines. When I visited Odesa on October 11, I found the damaged cathedral open. The Sunrise Ensemble performed a moving flute recital in front of it, which we filmed for a short video. Inside, debris remained, but reconstruction had begun. We were even allowed to film inside the nave. That visit also led me to Fr. Theodore Orobets at the smaller Cathedral of the Nativity. Just a month later, it too was hit by a missile. Fr. Orobets explained the distinction between Ukrainian Orthodox churches and those aligned with Moscow, which supports Russian aggression. He firmly denied any persecution of Christians by Ukraine and emphasized the freedom of religious life—unless clergy support the enemy. When sirens sound, his family prays. “Our true defender,” he told me, “is not just Ukraine’s army—but God.”
After visiting Kharkiv, I traveled south through Dnipro to Zaporizhzhia City to meet with Bishop Sergey Gashchenko, leader of the Union of Churches, a Pentecostal/Charismatic denomination.
I attended a service at his Source of Life Church, where he preached. The city lies about 25 miles from the front lines. While Zaporizhzhia City remains under Ukrainian control, the majority of Zaporizhzhia Oblast is held by Russian forces. The video makes it clear that the city is far from destroyed. What’s undeniable, however, is the immense danger evangelicals face under Russian occupation—and the church’s heroic efforts to help displaced believers escape. Bishop Gashchenko oversees dozens of Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that provide food, aid, and spiritual care, often risking their lives to defend their religious freedom. For more go to: https://www.theoeco.org/blog/kharkiv-to-zaporizhzhia-pentecostalcharismatic-churches I also met Pastor Karina Medvied of Yahum Church, a young, vibrant Charismatic leader. Karina supports actions against Moscow-aligned Orthodox clergy, citing their political loyalties and interference in Ukraine’s independence. She emphasized that Ukrainians wishing to stay within Orthodoxy should join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which respects both traditional practices and Ukrainian sovereignty. For more go to: https://www.theoeco.org/blog/a-lady-evangelical-pastor-near-ukraines-front-lines-in-zaporizhzhia Through leaders like Bishop Gashchenko and Pastor Karina, Zaporizhzhia’s churches embody extraordinary courage, compassion, and conviction in a time of great trial. In early 2023, I filmed a segment for Back to Bucha featuring charismatic/Pentecostal Pastor Oleg Regetsiy of the Church of the Glory of the Lord in Lviv. At the time, he was conducting an online service with his displaced congregation, many of whom had fled Kharkiv in the early days of the war. While Oleg and his family have since returned to Kharkiv, most of his congregation has not. In the video below, we see a Wednesday evening Bible study with Oleg’s family and a few parishioners. They translated the service into English for me, though they generally speak Russian, as Kharkiv is predominantly Russian-speaking. The gathering included scripture reading, discussion, and prayer. Despite the ongoing threat of missiles and drones, Kharkiv is far from destroyed. The city boasts the nicest grocery store I've ever seen and a dazzling mall. Sirens are constant, but so are cafés, stores, and resilient people, many of whom never left, even during heavy fighting in 2022. Kharkiv, like Bucha, is a story of victory. Ukrainian forces successfully pushed the Russians out in May 2022, and life, along with religious and other freedoms one expects from European democracies, persists—something Moscow’s autocrat can’t tolerate. I guess he’ll just have to get used to it.  Irpin Bible Church
In Irpin, we visit the thriving Irpin Bible Church, led by Pastor Mykola Romaniuk.
This dynamic, modern Baptist congregation is filled with families, refugees, and an evangelical spirit that has led to the baptism of more than 130 souls since the war began. The church’s story took a dramatic turn in February 2022, when Russia invaded from the north. Russian forces shelled the area from occupied Bucha as they attempted to advance on Kyiv. They came close—but were ultimately halted in Irpin and forced to retreat. The attached short video briefly captures a typical Sunday service, as well as an interview with Pastor Romaniuk including a dismantling of the disinformation that Ukraine persecutes Christians. In the he also shares how faith, hope, service, and fellowship help sustain the faithful through wartime, and can actually strengthen both the church and its members. For more about the church and pastor check out: Irpin Bible Church – Irpin, Ukraine.
Pastor Mykola Romaniuk
We’re introducing a convenient way to watch the film in manageable chunks. We’ve just completed a 57-minute version, which we’re breaking into six easily digestible episodes—starting with the first one, Bucha, included below. We hope you’ll join us in the coming weeks as we go Beyond Bucha, finding the Spirit in Ukraine—from the churches to the front.
Introduction
Beyond Bucha is a journey through the evangelical heart of Ukraine—part documentary, part travelogue, and wholly focused on faith under fire. Shot across eastern and southern Ukraine in September and October 2024, this third film in the series visits both familiar places from Back to Bucha—like Kyiv, Bucha, and Irpin—and new front-line cities such as Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa. While the Sunday services, evangelical pastors, and worship bands resemble evangelical gatherings throughout America, what makes them profoundly poignant is that they can only happen in free Ukraine. In territories under Russian occupation, such gatherings are banned. Evangelical pastors are arrested. Churches are closed or repurposed. Faith, in these zones, becomes a crime. A central aim of Beyond Bucha is to expose the existential threat Ukrainian evangelicals face if Russia is allowed to continue its war unchecked. While some voices in the West—like Tucker Carlson—have falsely suggested Ukraine persecutes Christians, the reality is the opposite: in Russian-occupied areas, evangelicals are targeted and violently suppressed. The film seeks to correct this misinformation and call fellow believers in the U.S.—including members of Congress who claim Christian values—to stand with Ukrainian Christians whose churches, ministries, and very lives are at risk.
Chapter 1: Bucha
In Bucha, we revisit familiar faces, including Julia, the café owner featured in Back to Bucha. Her story of returning to rebuild in 2022 was powerful enough—but now, in 2024, she’s opening another spot: Jul’s Coffee and Cocktails. She offers duck breast and tiramisu alongside espresso and faith, not for profit but to restore her city’s economy. A petite cross around her neck reflects a deeper conviction—her belief in God, her country, and Bucha’s future. Hers is just one example of what could be called “faith-based capitalism,” alive and well across Ukraine. For a deeper dive since the initial destruction of her coffee shop in February 2022, check out Back to Bucha (Again) and Insights from Ukraine’s Faith-Based Capitalism. At Bethany Baptist Church in Bucha, we meet Pastor Oleksandr Kulbych, a fourth-generation preacher whose great-grandfather was imprisoned during the Soviet era. His congregation still bears the scars of Russian occupation—some members were killed, others are now on the front lines, and PTSD is widespread. Yet the church persists. For more from this Baptist leader check out Bethany Baptist Church - Bucha, Ukraine.  The world premiere of Beyond Bucha: Finding the Spirit in Ukraine, from the Churches to the Front was held on March 2nd to a packed house at in Jamestown, RI. A huge thanks to the Jamestown Ukraine Relief Project (JURP) and the Friends of the Jamestown Library for sponsoring the premiere screening, which took place just days after the three-year anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Bear Witness’ Alex Gamota, the film’s executive producer, was also on hand and gave a ringing endorsement of the three-film project, highlighting his organization’s support from the very beginning in March 2022. I was on hand to lead the Q&A afterward, which featured a live feed from Odesa with Sasha Pinchuk and his family, who had many friends in the audience. John Andrews, head of JURP, introduced the film and shared this review: Steve Richards' film Beyond Bucha continues his travels through Ukraine in the third year of the Russian invasion, providing stunning footage of the resilience with which Ukrainians have woven civilian everyday normality around the anguish and destruction of ongoing war. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
As with all our screenings, which double as fundraisers for Ukraine, I was also happy to help raise funds for JURP’s work in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, JURP has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Ukrainian causes. We are making the film available in the coming weeks for everyone to watch and share. Just visit the event page for a link to the film, pictures from the event, and more information. The film continues to evolve as we edit and create additional versions. It is already available in two forms: the 75-minute director’s cut, which we screened at the event, and a new 57-minute version available online. Our impact campaign is in the works as we plan a screening tour across the U.S. and Ukraine for the rest of the year. Want to help? Arrange a screening—either in person or virtually. For more information on hosting a screening for your group, click here. For more information please go to the event page at theoeco.org/beyondbuchajamestown.html.
Fr. Theodore Orobets in front of the Wall of Memories at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Odesa.
By Steve Richards
One of the purposes of Beyond Bucha is to document some of the ongoing Russian bombardment of Ukraine’s religious sites. None is more infamous than the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa, making the city a high priority on my list of places to visit during the production tour last fall. But my visit yielded much more than expected, including an interview with Fr. Theodore Orobets at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ—a much smaller cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, more than two centuries old. Little did I know that just a month later, on November 15th, this very cathedral would be struck by a Russian missile.
Report on the bombing of the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Odesa -
November 2024
The interview began with my intrepid translator and cameraman, Sasha Pinchuk, in front of the church with Fr. Orobets at the Wall of Memories. The first section of this memorial honors Odesa’s heroes who died before 2022 in the fighting that began in 2014. This year, the wall was extended to continue their memory following the full-scale invasion nearly three years ago. Fr. Orobets has personally buried close to 40 heroes. Since the war began, 512 soldiers from Odesa alone have lost their lives.
Fr. Orobets, a priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, has served here for nearly 25 years. In the interview, he explains that Ukraine has two types of Orthodox churches: one that is Ukrainian and another that follows Moscow. His church was never part of the Moscow Patriarchate. He goes on to explain that because of the war, more people are coming to pray at his church—especially since most of those fighting for Ukraine now turn to Ukrainian churches. This is particularly evident in Odesa, where there are only six churches under the Ukrainian Patriarchate, compared to 60–70 under Moscow’s Patriarchate. When asked about his relationship with Moscow-affiliated priests, he says he considers them brothers who have lost their way and that the Ukrainian church is waiting for them to return. 
Fr. Orobets and Richards at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ - Odesa - October 2024
Photo by Viktoriia Pinchuk
When asked if he had ever experienced persecution at the hands of the Ukrainian government, he firmly stated that there is no persecution of Christians in Ukraine. He explained that Ukraine has many religious organizations that operate freely and that those not connected to Moscow face no issues. However, the Moscow Patriarchate, under Patriarch Kirill, supports Russian aggression, and if priests break the law by supporting the war, they must be held accountable under Ukrainian law. He prays that God will give wisdom to the Ukrainian government so that Russia cannot use the church to influence Ukraine. He also emphasizes that the Ukrainian government is fair to priests of all religions and that priests of the Ukrainian Church oppose the way Russia uses the church as a cover for its actions against Ukraine.
We also discussed the war’s effects on him and his parish. He explained that, at one point, people thought they could get used to the explosions and stress—but that is simply not true. It is impossible. The fear is constant because no one ever knows where the next strike will land. Just the day before our interview on October 11th, five people died in Odesa from missile strikes. The day of the interview, four more. Many others were in the hospital, fighting for their lives. They were just civilians, living in their own homes. On a personal level, he shared that every time there is an air raid alert, the first thing they do is pray—especially at night. He has a wife and four children, and, he noted, the little ones are always the first to pray. He added that they know their true defender is not just the Ukrainian forces, but God.  The biggest reason I came here to shoot this film was to dispel the misconception that Christians are being persecuted in Ukraine. Hopefully, the film achieves that, as this idea is simply not true. Some Russian Orthodox priests have been arrested, but these individuals have acted as mouthpieces for and supporters of Russia. Increasingly, only patriots are welcome members of Ukraine’s clergy. Yet even now, the Russian Church carries on as Ukrainian Orthodox followers find it difficult to move out of their comfort zones. My evangelical roots, having grown up in the Nazarene Church, give me a deep connection with evangelicals, even as I now lean more toward mainline Christianity as an Episcopalian. Though my faith journey has evolved, I have never strayed far from my roots and frequently visit Pentecostal, Baptist, and non-denominational churches across the U.S. The majority of my mailing list and followers come from these evangelical communities.  Irpin Bible Church While Beyond Bucha certainly focuses on documenting the diversity of evangelical churches in Ukraine, it also captures the backdrop of the cities where I filmed: Kyiv, Bucha, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, and Vinnytsia during the 2023-2024 holiday season and again in the fall of 2024. If viewers are interested in the realities of life in cities near the front lines, they will certainly find that—especially as they hear mostly English-speaking interviewees discuss their experiences, the histories of their churches, and the challenges they face, including the shortage of men and the profound impact of PTSD on nearly everyone. Their experiences in the war and the effects on their congregations are central to the stories.  The newly opened Jul's Coffee and Cocktails in Bucha When one realizes that these evangelicals are literally fighting for their lives, their parishioners’ lives, and the survival of their churches—all of which are under existential threat from Russia—the footage and interviews with pastors will feel remarkably familiar to Christians in the U.S. Yet, their situation is vastly different. These churches and pastors are on Russian kill lists, just as the hundreds of churches, pastors, and believers in occupied territories of Ukraine have been targeted—where churches are shuttered, services have gone underground under threat from Russian invaders, and pastors have been killed. This reality must remain front and center while watching the film. In the U.S., we take our religious freedoms for granted. In Ukraine, they fight for theirs. They see themselves in a very real religious war, and they remember what life was like under Soviet domination—many would rather die than go back.  Pastor Anton Kalyuzhny of the New Life Church in Kyiv I am deeply indebted to the pastors and those who helped me find these extraordinary churches, secure access, and conduct interviews. Evangelicals and Protestants are a small minority in Ukraine, yet it is not uncommon to find third- and fourth-generation pastors. Baptists are well represented, as are Pentecostals, Charismatics, and non-denominational Christians. Mainline denominations are similarly hard to find, with representation from Lutherans, the Reformed tradition, and even Presbyterians. Anglicans are extremely rare in this country, where the evolving Orthodox Church dominates. Greek Catholics are common, and Roman Catholic churches can also be found. As I reflect on what Beyond Bucha is about—or perhaps more importantly, why I made it—at the very least, we are chronicling events in Ukraine over several years, and we will continue to do so. Ideally, I can provide an effective platform to foster empathy among evangelicals in the United States for their brothers and sisters throughout Ukraine. By increasing their understanding, I hope they will begin to support Ukraine just a little more and dispel the misinformation that taints their perceptions of people they should whole-heartedly embrace. All while crafting a film that entertains and connects with secular audiences worldwide.  Richards interviewing a priest at the Transfiguration Cathedral in Odesa. Photo by Viktoriia Pinchuk |
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