Swedish security officials have made a startling discovery, unmasking a religious convent as a covert Kremlin operation aimed at supporting Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. The St Elisabeth Orthodox Convent, originally based in Belarus, has been accused of using its sisters to raise funds across Sweden, which were then funneled to Russian units on the frontline.
Nuns, Crafts, and Covert Funding
Investigators revealed that nuns from the convent were active in over 20 churches across Sweden. Their activities involved fundraising and selling religious souvenirs like handmade crafts, wooden icons, and knitwear. In one notable instance in Täby, a Stockholm suburb, the nuns were invited by a local vicar who was completely unaware of their ties to the Russian state.
Shocking photographs have emerged showing a nun in full habit holding a Russian flag marked with the pro-war 'Z' symbol. Further evidence indicates the sisters visited occupied territories of Ukraine to bolster the morale of Russian soldiers, with one image depicting a nun posing in front of a tank alongside a smiling serviceman.
Strategic Locations and a 'Rude Awakening' for Sweden
The operation extended beyond simple fundraising. A church linked to the convent, belonging to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, was constructed near Stockholm Vasteras airport—a site described as having 'strategic importance' to NATO. This raised significant alarm about potential intelligence gathering.
Kristina Smith, head of the Church of Sweden's crisis planning group, stated that the Russian Orthodox Church had also tried to hire facilities near Swedish military bases. She described the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a 'rude awakening' for the nation, which had prided itself on peace for over 200 years. 'It was an awakening for the entire country,' she told the Telegraph, highlighting a shift in Sweden's security perception.
Warnings Issued and Wider European Pattern
As a result of the investigation, Catholic and Orthodox communities across Sweden have been officially warned to cease all cooperation with the St Elisabeth Convent and to report any of its activities to the police. This is not an isolated incident in Europe. A separate convent from the Narva diocese of the Estonian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) was recently banned from the EU Schengen area.
An investigation into that convent found nuns had been given fictitious contracts to raise money for purchasing military equipment, including:
- Strike drones
- Starlink satellite communication equipment
- Specialist military gear
These revelations point to a coordinated strategy by Moscow, leveraging religious institutions to finance and support its war effort while operating within European borders. The St Elisabeth sisters had previously been banned from Winchester Cathedral in the UK in 2022 due to their pro-war stance, indicating their activities were widespread.
