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Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, carries forward a Soviet-era playbook, using its ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), or Moscow Patriarchate, for strategic influence. Once aligned with the KGB, today the ROC remains both a spiritual institution and a tool of foreign policy amidst Russo-Ukrainian war.
The following gallery investigates the complex relationship between spies and clergy, explores methods employed by Russian intelligence, and considers the impact on the Church’s credibility as a faith-based organization entwined with statecraft. Click on for more details.
Since the 1940s, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has been enlisted to endorse authoritarian regimes and propagate state values. Even after the Soviet Union’s collapse, the ROC remained a key player, aligning with Russian foreign policy to project influence and reinforce state objectives on the global stage.
Soviet archives reveal that Patriarch Kirill, born Vladimir Gundyaev, wasn’t always just a man of the cloth. Before ascending to lead the Russian Orthodox Church, he reportedly served as an active officer in the KGB.
Patriarch Kirill shares more than a spiritual mission with President Vladimir Putin. Both are deeply rooted in Russia’s intelligence legacy: Kirill as a former KGB officer and Putin as both a KGB veteran and ex-director of its successor, the Federal Security Service.
Declassified Swiss files reveal that Patriarch Kirill, while Moscow’s representative at the WCC in Geneva during the 1970s, worked for the KGB, aiming to influence the Swiss Federal Council through religious diplomacy.
Swiss files, labeled “Monsignor Kirill,” reveal Patriarch Kirill’s secret KGB mission under the code name “Mikhailov.” The records also disclose that the Swiss Federal Council was already infiltrated by the Soviet intelligence network.
While Soviet and Swiss archives suggest Patriarch Kirill's ties to the KGB, his nephew, Mikhail Gundyaev, a head priest in Geneva, dismissed the claims in a 2023 Sonntagszeitung interview, asserting his uncle was likely not an intelligence agent.
Patriarch Kirill’s nephew adds that Kirill was merely “under the KGB’s strict supervision.” The ROC has remained silent, and the WCC insists it has no knowledge of the matter.
During the 1960s, KGB agents wielded considerable influence within the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), turning it into a key instrument for political control and intelligence operations, from domestic surveillance to international espionage.
Declassified KGB records reveal that Metropolitan Filaret of Kyiv, a leading figure in the Russian Orthodox Church during the 1970s and 1980s, was recruited as an agent under the codename “Antonov” prior to 1957.
Metropolitan Filaret’s frequent international trips highlight his active role as a seasoned KGB asset. Ukrainian State Security Service archives from 1957-58 mention “Antonov,” who reportedly supplied intelligence on visiting delegations, including their actions and conduct.
A Soviet-era document found in Estonia hints that Patriarch Alexy II, former head of the Russian Orthodox Church, was not just a spiritual leader but a fully-fledged KGB agent. This revelation adds to the ongoing narrative of the Church's complex entanglement with Soviet intelligence.
Rumors of Patriarch Alexy II’s ties to the Soviet secret police have swirled since 1991, citing his codename “Drozdov” (Thrush). However, a newly uncovered document offers the first tangible proof suggesting he wasn’t merely a passive collaborator but an active KGB agent as early as 1958.
A document suggests Alexy II leveraged KGB ties to advance in the Church amid Soviet repression. While the ROC dismissed it as a forgery without solid proof, Alexy’s silence left the claims unchallenged, fueling speculation about faith and state entanglement.
Not all Russian Orthodox clergy aligned with the KGB; many resisted collaboration, often paying a heavy price. Such is the story of Alexander Vladimirovich Men, a Russian Orthodox priest, theologian and Biblical scholar, who was persecuted by the KGB and murdered in unexplained circumstances in 1990.
Another example of the courageous clergy who defied Soviet repression was Fr. Dmitri Dudko. In the 1970s, his fiery sermons in Moscow openly challenged the state’s enforced atheism, making him a beacon of resistance. His bold stance came at a cost, as the KGB subjected him to relentless harassment.
Father Dudko resonated with many by boldly addressing the moral decay, alcoholism, and spiritual void of Soviet life. In January 1980, he was arrested for allegedly passing “slanderous materials” to Western journalists and was coerced into a staged televised confession, publicly renouncing his views.
In his later years, under Gorbachev’s perestroika, Father Dudko embraced nationalist and authoritarian ideologies, championing leadership reminiscent of Stalin or Putin. This pivot alienated many of his once-devoted supporters, leaving him disconnected from the younger generation he had once inspired.
The KGB’s calculated infiltration of the ROC turned it into a vital cultural instrument of control. Though the Cold War is long over, the church still wields significant influence as a state tool, making it a subject worthy of continued scrutiny.
In March 2024, Sweden halted funding for Moscow Patriarchate-linked churches after intelligence reports revealed their use in espionage and hybrid influence operations. Authorities highlighted the potential security risks these churches posed to NATO, given their presence in strategic areas.
An investigation by Norran revealed connections between the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian intelligence. Sweden’s security service (Säpo) labeled the ROC a national security risk, citing an elevated threat of Russian sabotage.
The investigation revealed ties between Orthodox churches in Sweden, Ukraine, and Russia, with clergy in Västerås receiving SVR-signed medals. A Russian embassy official, allegedly linked to espionage, also attended a church inauguration in Sweden.
Concerns over the Kremlin's use of Russian Orthodox churches for intelligence prompted Bulgaria and North Macedonia to expel Russian clergy. The FBI also issued warnings about the Church’s role in Moscow’s covert operations, highlighting a growing international response.
In late 2024, Czech intelligence began investigating the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) over suspicions of spreading Russian propaganda. Officials also imposed sanctions on Patriarch Kirill for endorsing Russia’s war on Ukraine, further deepening scrutiny of the Church’s activities and geopolitical role.
In September 2023, Bulgaria expelled Archimandrite Vasian, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in the country, and two staff members from St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker Church in Sofia. The government justified the move, highlighting growing apprehensions about foreign influence linked to the Church.
The Kremlin’s embassy in Sofia labeled Bulgaria’s expulsion of Archimandrite Vasian and two church staffers as “unacceptable.” The incident underscores escalating fears in Eastern Europe over the Russian Orthodox Church’s role in advancing Moscow’s geopolitical agenda.
The Russian Orthodox Church has been weaving diplomacy into its global outreach, often echoing Kremlin perspectives on Ukraine and Western influence. Reports hint at the ROC's soft power efforts in key regions like the Balkans and the Middle East, subtly bolstering Russia's geopolitical ambitions.
The Russian Orthodox Church's role is likely to expand as the Kremlin continues to rely on the Church for informal diplomacy and intelligence. This aligns with Russia’s broader hybrid warfare strategy, leveraging faith as a tool to project influence and further geopolitical goals.
Allegations persist about the Church's ties to modern Russian intelligence, with Patriarch Kirill's leadership often in the spotlight. These claims keep the Church's evolving role in state affairs under scrutiny.
As NATO and the EU bolster counterintelligence efforts, scrutiny of ROC activities and expulsions of clergy are likely to rise. In response, Moscow is expected to adapt, redirecting influence operations to proxy organizations, cultural diplomacy, and financial networks.
Sources: (Belsat) (Politico) (Grey Dynamics) (Novaya Gazeta)
See also: The countries that benefit from the Russia-Ukraine war
The Russian Orthodox Church's complex ties to the secret service
A complex relationship of religious influence and political power
LIFESTYLE Politics
Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR, carries forward a Soviet-era playbook, using its ties with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), or Moscow Patriarchate, for strategic influence. Once aligned with the KGB, today the ROC remains both a spiritual institution and a tool of foreign policy amidst the Russo-Ukrainian war.
The following gallery investigates the complex relationship between spies and clergy, explores methods employed by Russian intelligence, and considers the impact on the Church’s credibility as a faith-based organization entwined with statecraft. Click on for more details.