Vladimir Putin together with the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill during Easter celebrations. Connections exist between Kirill's Moscow Patriarchate and the church in Boliden.
Säpo has expressed concerns about the ROC, stating that some representatives within the organization have established connections with the Russian state and its intelligence services.
These connections raise a number of red flags, including the potential for:
- Influence operations: Säpo fears the ROC could be used to target individuals within the Swedish-Russian diaspora, along with politicians and government officials. The spread of disinformation to manipulate public perception of Russia is another concern.
- Intelligence gathering: Säpo suspects the ROC may be actively collecting information on Sweden's political landscape, defense capabilities, and economic standing. This could potentially extend to acquiring sensitive civil and military technology.
- Foreign investment threats: Foreign direct investments, particularly in real estate, could be used as a platform for intelligence gathering and other activities deemed threats to Swedish security.
The Boliden church itself was established in 2016 by Victoria Roekshild, who has a criminal record for money laundering. The church falls under the umbrella of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which is ultimately overseen by the Moscow Patriarchate.
The Security Service (Säkerhetspolisen) has warned about the Russian Orthodox Church.
Several aspects of the Boliden church raise suspicion. The source of funding for the church remains shrouded in secrecy. Key figures involved in the church's establishment, such as Roekshild, have criminal records, while others maintain connections to the Moscow Patriarchate.
The location of the church itself is noteworthy, situated near mines and hydroelectric power facilities, which could be considered strategically important assets.
The property was previously owned by Victoria Roekshild's former company and was sold to an individual whose name has surfaced a few times in a property scandal.
The church relies on visiting priests from Ukraine or Russia, raising questions about funding sources and the level of control exerted by these external figures. Despite claims of ongoing activity, the church appears largely inactive during winter months and seems to have a very small congregation.
We spoke with several residents of Boliden about the church and the property deals. One resident finds it peculiar that the Moscow Patriarchate has a church in the small town of Boliden.
The Boliden church is not an isolated case. There are connections to other branches of the ROC in Sweden that also exhibit concerning ties. The church in Västerås, for example, was financed by the Russian nuclear power company Rosatom.
The church was deserted when Norran visited in mid-March. The only evidence of human activity were footprints in the deep snow.
The priest there has also been implicated in accounting fraud.
Another church, located in Marma, is strategically positioned near bridges, military installations, and hydroelectric plants.
The Umeå branch of the ROC has connections to a Moscow Patriarchate parish in Stockholm and has collaborated with the Boliden church on events.
Norran previously conducted a report on the church.
Security policy expert Patrik Oksanen emphasizes the deeply intertwined nature of the Kremlin's imperial ambitions and the Moscow Patriarchate.
He highlights the fact that the Moscow Patriarchate was revived under Stalin's rule in 1943 and placed directly under the control of the Soviet security services.
Activities seem to be ongoing despite reports that the church lacks electricity and water. A person who has been active in the church posted this on their Facebook page.
Oksanen further points out that the ROC has a documented history of involvement in intelligence gathering and influence operations.
Luka from Zaporizhzhia, with clear connections to the Moscow Patriarchate, on the left, and at least two priests participated in the inauguration of the Orthodox Church in Boliden.
Despite repeated attempts to contact representatives of the church in Boliden, Umeå, and even Ukraine, Norran received no response. This lack of transparency only serves to heighten concerns about the true nature of the church's activities.
This is a summary of the extensive, much longer, original Swedish-language investigation, which can be found here.
The map shows the connections between the Moscow Patriarchate in Moscow and Boliden, as well as churches that have been flagged as security risks in Sweden.
A priest has been appointed by the Moscow Patriarchate in as the acting parish priest in Umeå.
Fredrik Hultgren-Friberg, press spokesperson for the Security Service (Säkerhetspolisen)
Patrik Oksanen explains that the Russian Orthodox Church and the Kremlin's imperial ambitions go hand in hand.
Patriarch Kirill is the head of the Moscow Patriarchate and is said to have previously worked for the KGB.
The Boliden parish has connections to churches in Västerås, Umeå, and Stockholm, as well as Zaporizhzhia. All of them have connections to the Moscow Patriarchate.