People group profile · PG024475
The Ossetians of the Russian Federation
The Ossetians of the Russian Federation, numbering about 445,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Eastern Iranian ethnic group indigenous to Ossetia, a homeland that is politically divided between North Ossetia-Alania in Russia and South Ossetia, a Russian-occupied territory of Georgia.
They are an indigenous people in the Persian people cluster of the Persian-Median Peoples. Their primary religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Iron Ossetic.
Fast facts
- Country
- Russian Federation
- Population
- 445,000
- Affinity group
- European Peoples
- People cluster
- Persian
- Primary language
- Iron Ossetic (oss)
- Primary religion
- Eastern Orthodox Christianity
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Europe, Europe
Where they live
Gospel status
The Ossetians are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Ossetians
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Eastern Orthodox Christianity · Christianity
45% adherents
Primary language
Iron Ossetic · Indo-European family
100% speak Iron Ossetic
Gospel resources in Iron Ossetic
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Osetin)
Bibles
- 2002 Institute for Bible Translation, Moscow · video, audio, text
- 2004 Institute Bible Translation, Moscow · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Ossetians
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
Ossetian in other countries
The same people (ROP3 107699) is reported in 5 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ossetians | Turkiye | 44,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Ossetians | Uzbekistan | 11,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Ossetians | Azerbaijan | 3,400 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Ossetians | Kazakhstan | 2,800 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Ossetians | Turkmenistan | 2,600 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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