Vladimir Putin has weaponized nuns to infiltrate churches across Europe, turning religious sanctuaries into operational fronts for military fundraising and intelligence gathering while exploiting the West’s most sacred institutions.
Religious Institutions Turned Into War Funding Operations
The Church of Sweden discovered that nuns from the St. Elisabeth Convent in Minsk, Belarus had systematically infiltrated over 20 parishes across the country. These women, dubbed “Z-Nuns” for their open display of Russia’s military invasion symbol, sold small religious items while generating funds directly supporting Putin’s war against Ukraine. The operation represents a brazen exploitation of European religious hospitality for military purposes.
The monastery’s leader, Andrey Lemeshonok, received the prestigious Pushkin Medal directly from Putin’s hands during a Kremlin ceremony on October 15, 2025. Putin personally honored him for his “significant contribution to the preservation and development of Russian language and culture abroad.” This wasn’t cultural exchange—it was recognition for operational success in penetrating European civil society.
(1/8) In Sweden, nuns from the St. Elisabeth Convent, originally based in Belarus, embedded in 20 churches, worked for Russian intelligence and raised funds for the Russian army while posing as a charity. pic.twitter.com/PR2hB99GBy
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) January 18, 2026
Former KGB Officer Coordinates European Operations
The nuns didn’t operate alone. Dmitry Ivanovich Korbalovich, a former Belarusian KGB officer, served as their designated driver across Western Europe. His involvement transforms what might appear as innocent religious outreach into a sophisticated intelligence operation with direct ties to Eastern European security services. The combination of religious cover and professional intelligence operatives demonstrates the operation’s strategic importance.
Sweden’s intelligence service Säpo formally assessed that the Russian Orthodox Church functions “as a platform for gathering intelligence and other security-threatening activities.” The nuns’ activities align perfectly with this assessment, using religious legitimacy to access locations and communities that would otherwise remain closed to foreign operatives. Their success in Sweden proves the effectiveness of this hybrid warfare approach.
Christmas Markets Become Propaganda Battlegrounds
The infiltration extended beyond Sweden into Norway and Poland through Christmas market operations. Norwegian administrators in Bergen halted the monastery’s participation after identifying its Russian military ties in December 2025. Polish protests in 2024 led to contract termination and stall dismantling. Each incident reveals the coordinated nature of this multi-country campaign targeting Europe’s most vulnerable seasonal gatherings.
Nun Nymphodora openly admitted during a monastery meeting that they actively promote Russian narratives during European trips and cultivate relationships with Putin supporters. This confession, published on the convent’s own YouTube channel, eliminates any pretense about their true mission. They weren’t spreading Christianity—they were spreading Putin’s war propaganda while collecting intelligence on European communities.
Russian nuns who aided Russia’s army have been banned from the Schengen Area
Russian nuns who worked in the Narva Diocese of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church under sham contractshave been banned from entering the Schengen Area. Their Estonian residence permits were revoked… pic.twitter.com/GqAw7jVobY
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 10, 2026
Sweden’s Rude Awakening to Modern Espionage
Michael Öjermo, rector of Täby parish, reflected on historical precedent: “I’m old enough to remember when ministers came from East Germany—if three came, two would be for real, and one would be a spy for the Stasi.” His comparison highlights how Cold War infiltration tactics have evolved to exploit modern Europe’s openness and religious tolerance through seemingly innocent religious exchange.
Kristina Smith, head of the Church of Sweden’s crisis planning unit, acknowledged that “It’s a new thing for Sweden as a society, the full-scale invasion of 2022 was a rude awakening for a lot of Swedes.” The incident shattered Sweden’s assumption that two centuries without conflict provided immunity from foreign intelligence operations. European churches must now balance traditional hospitality with security protocols designed to detect state-sponsored infiltration.
Sources:
Vladimir Putin’s mob of war-thirsty nuns are infiltrating churches across Europe
Vladimir Putin spy nuns church Europe – GB News
Pro-Putin nuns sell war at Christmas markets – United24 Media