In Sweden nuns were exposed for spying for russian intelligence
Swedish law enforcement officers exposed nuns from the Saint Elisabeth Monastery in belarus, who are suspected of collaborating with russian military intelligence. According to the investigation, they operated in EU countries for years under the guise of religious activities, collected funds from the sale of religious products and transferred them to the needs of the eussian military, as well as visited temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
In the winter of 2025, they came to Sweden to continue their activities. At that time, Archpriest andrey lemeshonok openly called his monastery a “combat unit” in the war against Ukraine.
This case clearly demonstrates that russia uses the russian orthodox church as an instrument of hybrid influence. Under the guise of religion, they collect information, spread pro-russian propaganda, legitimize aggression against Ukraine, and create networks of influence on Western societies.
The threat lies in the fact that church structures enjoy legal protection and trust in democratic countries. This allows them to influence public opinion, shape a favorable attitude towards sanctions and war for the kremlin, and, at a critical moment, be used for destabilization.
