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Swedish authorities suspect clergy members of a newly built Russian Orthodox church in the city of Västerås, about 80 kilometers (less than 50 miles) from Stockholm, of espionage, according to a report by Politico. The church is believed to be involved in the potential surveillance of nearby strategic sites, including an airport, water treatment facilities, and energy companies.
The main road from the church’s entrance leads directly to Västerås Airport, located just a few hundred meters away. This airport serves as a standby facility, operating 24/7 in the event of a military or civil crisis.
“The church offers a potential foothold that can be used for information-gathering, both directed at Västerås Airport and at industrial interests in the form of large companies involved in the energy sector. When Sweden’s defense forces undertake exercises on or near the airport, as was done in June, they do so under possible surveillance from the church,” Markus Göransson, a researcher focusing on Russia at the Swedish Defence University, told Politico.
The publication noted that the planning committee for Västerås met to approve the church's building application in February 2017. Judging from the meeting’s agenda, the structure's location seems not to have triggered any serious concerns at the time. However, in May of this year, Sweden’s Agency for Support to Faith Communities (SST) pulled its financial support for the Västerås church after consulting the country’s national security agency, SÄPO.
SÄPO told SST that church representatives “have had contacts” with individuals linked to Russian intelligence. “The Russian state uses the Russian Orthodox Church in Sweden as a platform to conduct intelligence activities in Sweden,” explained a SÄPO spokesperson quoted by Politico.
Politico also noted that, following the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European nations have expelled hundreds of staff members from Russian embassies as part of its efforts to reduce Moscow’s ability to infiltrate its neighbors. As a result, according to the publication, Russia is seeking new ways to provide cover for its agents, with the Russian Orthodox Church potentially serving as one such avenue.
In July, Sweden revealed a new national security strategy, designating Russia as the country’s main threat. Sweden officially became a member of NATO earlier this year.