"Z-monks" From Belarus Were Exposed In Sweden
14- 18.01.2026, 11:27
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Kremlin security services could be behind their activities.
On Christmas Eve, nuns from the St. Elizabeth Monastery in Belarus were selling handmade items in Swedish churches. It later emerged that Russian propaganda and intelligence services may have been behind the activity.
This was reported by The Telegraph.
Links to the GRU and support for Russian aggression
The Church of Sweden has officially warned that the funds were raised by representatives of a convent that:
openly supports Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine;
has close ties to Russia's GRU military intelligence service;
uses the proceeds to support Russian nationalism and war.
The statement said the claims of charity were false, and the faithful were urged not to support the monastery's activities in any form.
Who are the "Z-nuns"
The nuns of St. Elizabeth's Convent are known as the so-called "Z-nuns" - after the outbreak of all-out war, they publicly displayed the "Z" symbol.
They were repeatedly recorded:
in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine;
in body armor next to the Russian military;
at events to "raise the morale" of the Russian army.
The spiritual leader of the monastery, Archpriest Andrei Lemeshonok, has previously called the nuns a "fighting unit."
Sweden's reaction and the abbot's explanation
The rector of the church in Teby, Michael Oermo, admitted that he did not realize the possible risks in inviting the nuns to the temple.
He said he now understands how such visits can be used for propaganda purposes. At the same time, he denied that the sale of souvenirs could have financed the war, emphasizing that the amounts involved were insignificant.
Churches as a tool of hybrid warfare
The Church of Sweden sees the incident as part of a wider problem. According to crisis planning chief Christina Smith, Russia is systematically trying to:
gain access to church buildings in NATO countries;
place clergy near military bases and airports;
create the illusion of support for the Kremlin abroad.
She emphasized that the Russian invasion in 2022 was a "rude awakening" for Swedish society.
Church near strategic airport
Separate concerns have been raised about an Orthodox church in Westeros built 300 meters from the strategic Stockholm-Westeros airport.
Swedish intelligence agencies suggest the facility could be used to monitor critical infrastructure. The city council said the church is suspected of gathering intelligence information against Sweden.
The Monastery of St. Elizabeth denies supporting the war and says it is solely concerned with helping those in need. There was no immediate response to a request from The Telegraph journalists.
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