Putin Wants the Religious Soul of Ukraine, Not Just Land

The physical landscape of Ukraine isn’t the only battle space Russian invaders hope to dominate. For the past decade, the two countries have fought another battle -- not over territory but the religious orientation of Ukraine. And if Russia occupies the country, religious freedom will be one of the many casualties. Ukraine is an ancient nation, dating back to at least the 10th century, with an eastern Christian identity at its root. Founded at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Ukraine is the second-largest European country, second only to Russia. While many faiths operate freely in Ukraine, such as Roman Catholics, evangelicals, Muslims and Jews, the country's population of 43 million is overwhelmingly Christian and predominantly identifies with Orthodoxy.