Neo-Christians cults in Ukraine

In February, 1992, Kiev mission was separated from Austrian East mission as 205-th Mormon church. In 1994 Donetsk mission was separated from Kiev mission. July 30, 1995, Pan-Ukrainian religious association of Mormons - Management of Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the last days was registered, which is included into structure of the East Europe territory (Frankfurt, Germany).
In Ukraine there are 59 Mormon’s communities of church with an aggregate amount - about 5000-6000 persons. In Kiev there are more than 2000 Mormons.
Kiev church is divided into two districts: Left Bank and Svyatoshin districts, which have 14 branches.
Kiev mission includes the following cities: Kiev, Lvov, Simferopol, Sevastopol, Odessa, Cherkassy. The chief – Frank Tratail. Donetsk mission includes the following cities: Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Gorlovka, Makeevka, Mariupol.
Recently relationship of Mormons with others confessions and public have become aggravated, due to Mormons “prophet” coming to Kiev with the decision to build the Temple of Mormons in Kiev and Mormons activity for obtaining the positive sanction for this question in state authority bodies of Kiev city.


The first community has appeared in Kiev in 1990. In 1992 the branches in Yalta and Kharkov were opened, in 1993 - in Lvov, in 1994 - in Donetsk and Dnepropetrovsk. At the moment any legally registered community in Kiev is not present. However they work as public organizations of communities of charitable kind, for example: charitable organization "Youth for Ukraine" (chief – Robert Stivenson), which is situated in city Irpen, Kiev area, but recently actively searches a premise in Kiev.
Active missionary work does not conducted by the cult. New members are recruited by individual contacts, widespreading of Christian music, humanitarian help, posters, leaflets, musical performances in prisons, boarding schools etc.
Amount of the members of "Family" in Kiev are about 20 persons. The chief - American citizen, known under the name as Peter, but as all members of mission are separated from secular life and have not real, but "Bible" names, his real name is unknown.


In Ukraine "Church of Christ" has arisen in July, 1993, when group of 9 preachers, citizens of USA, have arrived to Kiev from Moscow and rented a hall of Pedagogical Institute for courses of Bible study. The chief of group was Shon Lee Wooten, 1967 of birth, citizen of USA. By education - engineer - programmer.
In the beginning of 1994 the community was registered in state bodiesy. In 1995 as a result of widespreading of information about dishonourableness and illegal actions of Shon Lee Wooten in MASS-MEDIA, Kiev authority stopped activity of "Churches of Christ" in Pedagogical Institute, Polytechnical Institute, Medical Institute, and Mr. Wooten was compelled to leave Ukraine. Thus, from the end 1996 and up to the beginning of 1997 amount of the cult members decreased.
Kiev and, in general, Ukrainian "Church of Christ" submits to the "Moscow Church of Christ". At the end of 1999 it consists of two zones: North and South ones with an aggregate amount about 400 persons.


In Ukraine the Committee on religions affairs has given up to "Church of Unification" in registration as to religious association with doubtful reputation. Therefore Moonies, in cunning way, having registered different public organizations for propagation of "Church" ideas, such as in Kiev "Kiev association for study and widespreading of a principle", "Association of women for peace all over the world" and "International Foundation for Help and Friendship" were registered. Under pressure of city prosecutor department the first two organizations were closed by themselves accordingly to infringements of the legislation.
In materials of religious and analytical investigation of the board State Committee on religious affairs of Ukraine from 25 October, 1996, contains the following information: "carried out analysis testifies, that a number of non-traditional cults (including "Church of Unification") breake human rights, guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine. In particular, rigid, hierarchical, authoritarian structure of the mentioned objects not only contradicts to the standards of democratic values, but also subordinates their members to the absolute power of the leaders … Accordingly to the conclusion of Institute of Psychology of Ukraine, Ukrainian Scince-Investigation Institute of social and judicial psychiatry, the mentioned objects use methods, including reusable cult rituals, which complex action reduces strong-willed and intellectual activity of people, deprives of their critical thinking, imposes to them internal, untied values, makes them to be mental dependent ".
The greatest activity of the "Church" is shown in the industrially developed areas - Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Lvov, Kiev areas, being aimed basically on attraction of studying and gifted youth.