Swedish intelligence services have acknowledged that at least one Russian Orthodox church in Västerås is being utilised as "a platform for espionage, such as monitoring the airport," The Telegraph reports.

Following last summer's revelations about Russian "spy" nuns in Sweden, parishioners in the affluent suburb of Täby tried to dismiss or downplay the allegations. Yet in recent months, more Swedish officials have emerged accusing certain Belarusian nuns of undertaking "espionage" activities on behalf of the Russian Church, a well-known supporter of Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine.

The newly constructed Orthodox Church of the Holy Mother of God of Kazan in Västerås, situated close to the airport, has raised eyebrows among authorities, who noted that espionage activities from members are not unprecedented.

"We suspect this church to be a foothold used for gathering information against Sweden," said Eleonore Lundkvist, the vice-chair of the opposition in the Västerås city council.

Ms Lundkvist went on to suggest that Russia is taking advantage of Sweden's trusting nature, as most churches across the nation frequently engage with Christian communities worldwide, including those in countries under dictatorships. "We are an open country, and we are open-minded to other cultures, and that's a culture Russia has identified and concluded it will have no problems here," she said.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Church of Sweden's crisis-planning department has acknowledged that Russia has been trying to exert influence over its parishes for an extended period.

Kristina Smith, who heads the Church of Sweden's crisis-planning department, informed The Telegraph: "We have given a general warning against letting the Russian Orthodox Church rent or borrow church facilities, because we noted the places they wanted to borrow were next to military installations."

The initial report in June emerged following revelations that certain Putin-linked nuns were selling handcrafted goods and artwork at numerous Swedish churches, with proceeds being channelled towards supporting Russia's military campaign. Nuns from the St. Elisabeth Orthodox convent, initially established in Belarus, were discovered operating across more than 20 churches throughout Sweden, conducting fundraising activities and distributing religious memorabilia.

The nuns had previously faced exclusion from Winchester Cathedral in Britain during 2022 due to their pro-Russian position. Nevertheless, Sweden had consistently welcomed diverse organisations.

Rector Öjermo, from the Täby Parish in the Diocese of Stockholm, who found himself caught up in the dispute surrounding the hosting of the St. Elisabeth nuns, remarked: "I'm old enough to remember when ministers came from the German Democratic Republic [Soviet East Germany]... if three came, two would be for real and one would be a spy for the Stasi.

"So, to me, it wasn't a big problem to meet people from a church that I knew was dependent on a state that wasn't 'OK' in my eyes," Öjermo added.

Öjermo explained at the time that the designation "spy nuns" hadn't been fully established - though he has since recognised that the presence of the pro-Russian war nuns carries propagandistic implications.

"What I understood this time, that I didn't understand before, is that they can be used as propaganda. I didn't make that conclusion before, and I see that can be a problem," he said.

The church is now adorned with a Ukrainian flag and other pro-Ukraine displays.

However, the Västerås church, constructed close to Stockholm Västerås Airport, or VST, sits remarkably near one of the major international airports utilised for swift transit during the COVID-19 pandemic, and received funding prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine beginning.

Some residents now express regret about this. Unnamed members of the Västerås city council, according to the Telegraph report, described the church as a grave error and "has vowed to take back the land."

Those visiting the church report it being cordoned off with fencing and monitored by CCTV cameras, displaying warnings about guard dogs and vehicle removal.

The Russian embassy has dismissed claims that churches or their nuns were being utilised for espionage purposes.