There are connections between Orthodox churches in Sweden, Ukraine, and Russia. All the churches in the graphic are directly governed by the Moscow Patriarchate.
Norran English has previously reported on the Orthodox church in Boliden and its ties to the Moscow Patriarchate. Patrik Oksanen, a journalist, security policy expert, and associate of the Frivärld think tank, suggests that this church is closely linked to the Kremlin’s imperial ambitions.
– Where does the church begin and where does Russia end, and vice versa?, asks Oksanen
This question becomes particularly pertinent when considering the connections between the Russian Orthodox Church and its activities in Sweden. Oksanen, a journalist and security policy expert, has previously told Norran about the church's involvement in money laundering and financing.
Säpo, Sweden's domestic security service, has classified the Russian Orthodox Church as a security risk. In late August, they also issued a warning about an increased risk of Russian sabotage in the country.
Norran has previously uncovered connections between the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow and other Orthodox churches in Sweden, including in Västerås. Priests from these churches have preached in Boliden.
The Boliden church is affiliated with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which remains under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. According to Ukraine's security service, they have identified 20 cases of treason, collaboration, and assistance to Russia among priests and metropolitans in the UOC. In August, Ukraine's parliament voted to ban the UOC within its borders.
The church in Boliden is connected to a diocese within the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian security service's website, this diocese was sanctioned in 2022 by the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine.
Norran has now obtained new information confirming the church's ties to Russian intelligence. This involves the church in Västerås, which has cooperated with Boliden.
Also read: Is Boliden's Russian Orthodox church a nest of spies?
At the inauguration of the new church in Västerås last November, a representative from the Russian embassy attended. According to SVT's Uppdrag Granskning, this individual has connections to Russian espionage. While it is unclear for whom they work, it is possible they are affiliated with the SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence service.
This medal was awarded to the priest according to pictures on the VRNS website.
Photographs from the inauguration ceremony, available on the website of the World Council for the Russian People (VRNS), show that the priest in Västerås was also awarded a medal. A document states that the medal was bestowed upon him for his cooperation, by order of the SVR Russia, and is signed by the head of the intelligence service, Sergei Naryshkin, as Vestmanlands Läns Tidning was the first to report. The newspaper has also conducted an investigation into the construction of the church.
Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia's foreign intelligence service, has rewarded the priest in Västerås for his work.
The image of the document and the ambassador's participation have been publicly disseminated on Russian websites.
Oksanen suggests that the reason for this public exposure might be due to the priest's prior conviction for accounting offenses and his involvement in previous investigations of the church.
However, Oksanen also points out that the church has now been established, and its mission was fulfilled with its inauguration and completion.
According to Patrik Oksanen, a security policy expert, posting the picture of the medal might have been a mistake, but it could also be a message to Russian patriots.
Oksanen further asserts that the constitutional protection afforded to churches in Sweden is robust, and we must now accept the reality of the church in Västerås.
He argues that even if the SVR medal was not intended for public scrutiny, its exposure is of little consequence now. It serves as a message to Swedish authorities, declaring "We did it." Moreover, it signals to "Russian patriots" in the diaspora that their motherland rewards loyalty.
The Orthodox Boliden church's Facebook page remains active. There have been four updates this summer. According to a post from the Russian Orthodox Church in Umeå, they visited the Boliden church in the spring of 2024 to celebrate Easter. The priest in Umeå has been appointed directly by the Moscow Patriarchate.
Norran has attempted to reach out to the priests in Västerås and Boliden for comment, but has received no response.