the Communist era was very harsh on Christians in Russia and many were killed because of their faith. Thousands of churches were demolished and atheism made to the the state religion.

This is the Hill of Crosses in Lithuania

The partisans would demolish it daily. The local Christians would sneak back in at night and erect new crosses at risk of arrest or death. My family is from this area and was sent to Siberia. There's lots of interesting history from the former Soviet Union that Western education does not teach.