The Church of Sweden is warning congregations to stop hosting and buying goods from representatives of the St. Elisabeth Convent in Belarus, citing alleged ties to Russia's military intelligence and support for Moscow's war in Ukraine, as Sweden sharpens its guard against influence operations after joining NATO.

The warning follows a recent incident in Täby a suburb north of Stockholm, where women dressed as nuns sold handicrafts in a parish church after being granted permission by the local rector, Michael Ojermo.

In a notice circulated inside the Church of Sweden, the church said the convent "use their income to support Russian nationalism, support Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and have close ties with GRU," referring to Russia's military intelligence service.

"The monastery claims that the proceeds [of handicrafts] go to charitable causes. This is not true... the Church of Sweden advises against supporting their activities in any way," it added.

Ojermo told The Telegraph he had invited the group several times before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and said he did not understand the full scope of the activities at the time.

"When they came, we gave them two tables, and they were standing in the hallway selling handicrafts in wood, knitwear, socks, and so on," he said.

He said his parish had long sought contact with churches in authoritarian countries.

"We need to have contact with churches in countries that are not democratic," he said. "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."

Ojermo disputed the "spy nuns" label, saying he had not seen evidence of espionage. But he said he now believes their presence could be used for political messaging.

"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.

SVT reported the Church of Sweden said the convent's income is used to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine and that it has close contact with the GRU. SVT also quoted Lisa-Gun Bernerstedt, the Church of Sweden's head of civil preparedness, saying, "They support the Russian regime indirectly, and we don't want to contribute to that."

The convent has denied supporting the war, saying money collected goes to meals for the needy and elderly care.

The episode has become part of a broader Swedish debate over whether Moscow-linked religious networks are being used near sensitive sites.

Sweden became a full NATO member on March 7, 2024.

Euronews has reported that Sweden's security service, SAPO, believes a Russian Orthodox church in Västerås, about 300 meters from Stockholm Västerås Airport, is being used as a platform for intelligence gathering and other hostile activities.

Supporters of that church have rejected the accusations and say the community is being treated unfairly due to "Russophobia."