Patriarch Kirill (Vladimir Gundyaev), head of the Russian Orthodox Church, conducted intelligence activities in Geneva in the 1970s on the instructions of the USSR's State Security Committee (KGB). This was reported by several Swiss periodicals, in particular, "Tages-Anzeiger," citing declassified state archives.
According to that information, Gundyaev worked for the intelligence service using the code "Mikhailov." He engaged in espionage, occupying the position of the representative of the Moscow Patriarchate attached to the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Switzerland. At the same time, his main task was to influence the Council of Europe.
According to "Tages-Anzeiger," the Russian Embassy in Bern responded to these ZLM publications with an indignant statement, calling the messages "another example of Russian hatred spreading in Switzerland." The Russian Orthodox Church refused to comment. The Council of State Council announced they need more information on this issue.
