The Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS) states in its yearbook that the case concerns the Shanghai and San Francisco St. John's School, a Russian-language private school in Tallinn that began operating in 2021 (not to be confused with the Estonian-language St. John's School — ed).

According to the ISS, Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church considers Estonia part of the Church's canonical territory. As such, the agency argues that Kirill exercises control over this area in alignment with the Kremlin's aggressive foreign policy.

Due to the hierarchical structure of the Russian Orthodox Church, this control extends to the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (EKÕK), formerly the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (MPEÕK).

On March 27, 2024, Patriarch Kirill stated before the World Russian People's Council that Russia's war against Ukraine is a holy war. The ISS emphasizes that this reflects an ideological stance of the Russian regime, not merely a personal opinion. The same applies to Kirill's other statements and written positions concerning Ukraine.

Metropolitan Eugene (Valery Reshetnikov), who was selected in accordance with the Moscow Patriarchate's directives and who promotes the Kremlin's views and interests, was denied an extension of his Estonian residence permit on national security grounds.

The ISS says that the fact Metropolitan Eugene continues to direct the church from Russia underscores EKÕK's strong ties to the Russian Orthodox Church and the Moscow Patriarchate, as well as the support of EKÕK's local leadership.

The agency also notes that Reshetnikov served as rector of the Moscow Theological Academy from 1995 to 2018, an institution central to training clergy for the Russian Orthodox Church. Just as the Church influences Russian youth through education, Reshetnikov's mission in Estonia (then still as head of the MPEÕK) was to involve young people in church life. The broader goal, the ISS states, is to ensure the future of clergy in Estonia aligned with the values of the Russian Orthodox Church.

With the approval of Metropolitan Eugene, the Russian-language Shanghai and San Francisco St. John's School was established in Tallinn, beginning instruction in the 2021-2022 academic year. The school currently enrolls about 40 children.

After Eugene was denied a residence permit, the school attempted to downplay its connection to him. His blessing and photo were removed from the school's website and he was no longer listed as chair of the school's advisory board. Nonetheless, the initiative he started has continued and donations for the school's operations are still being collected through EKÕK churches. A link to the Russian Classical School's website (russianclassicalschool.ru) was also removed, the yearbook notes.

The school's confessor and one of its founders is Archpriest Andrei Mere (secular name: Andres Mere), head of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in Tallinn.

In 2022, the school hosted a conference titled "Classical School Education," with most participants joining online.

One of the speakers, highlighted by the ISS, was Nadezhda Khramova, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the Orthodox University of St. John in Moscow. She spoke about the principles of the Russian classical school, which draw on old textbooks written by the founders of Russian pedagogy, such as K. Ushinsky in the 19th century and his predecessors.

The conference presented Russian and Western values as opposing forces and emphasized the patriotic upbringing of children.

The ISS provides further examples of Khramova's public remarks, quoting her as saying: "It is thanks to Stalin that our education survives! What's special about Stalin-era textbooks? They are natural, child-centered."

Khramova has also argued for a return to textbooks from the 1940s and 1950s, claiming, "They included modern methodology and incorporated all the achievements of the pre-Soviet period. The first president of the Russian Pedagogical Academy, Vladimir Potyomkin, said we must create an education worthy of a victorious people. Already in 1943!"

ISS: EKÕK held covert talks for school funding in 2024

According to Estonia's Private Schools Act, schools are eligible to receive operational support from the state budget. However, this provision — and the fact that Metropolitan Eugene was denied an extension of his residence permit — has not deterred the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (EKÕK) and representatives of the Shanghai and San Francisco St. John's School from seeking alternative funding sources, some of which may conflict with legal regulations, the Internal Security Service notes.

For example, in 2024, EKÕK representatives continued to hold covert negotiations to fund the school with Rossotrudnichestvo, a Russian federal agency operating under the jurisdiction of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that supports influence operations abroad.

"Rossotrudnichestvo is an instrument of Russia's aggressive foreign policy. It serves to coordinate organizations and individuals abroad who support the foreign and security policy objectives of the Russian Federation and disseminates Kremlin narratives. Since 2022, Rossotrudnichestvo has been under European Union sanctions due to its actions that undermine or threaten Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence," the ISS states in its yearbook.

To conceal its activities and bring sanctioned funds into Estonia, the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church has attempted to construct various financial schemes, the ISS reports. One such scheme involved Metropolitan Eugene, who, from Russia, requested that Patriarch Kirill approve the creation of a charitable foundation in Russia to collect money for the school.

On June 17, 2024, the St. John of Shanghai Charitable Foundation was officially registered in Russia. Its listed director is Dmitry Yefremenko, a Russian resident who served as a board member of the EKÕK's Church of the Joy of All Who Sorrow congregation in Estonia from 2004 to 2011.

Following Metropolitan Eugene's example, the school in Estonia also honors Russian national commemorations, including May 9, the ISS notes. For instance, on May 10, 2023, the school's director, Deniss Polikarpov, along with his family, attended a memorial service organized by the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church at the Bronze Soldier monument in the Defense Forces Cemetery. Among the officiants was the school's confessor, Archpriest Andrei Mere.

Also in attendance was Mere's wife, Jelena Mere, who leads an extracurricular program on the foundations of Orthodox culture at the school.

According to the yearbook, May 9 is also significant to other EKÕK clergy. Traditionally, memorial services have been held at the Bronze Soldier monument with the participation of Metropolitan Eugene. EKÕK clergy have also taken part in the "Immortal Regiment" marches — an initiative the Kremlin has called its most successful influence operation abroad.

The ISS underscores that this is one of the ways Russia spreads its historical narratives. For example, in 2020, Archpriest Oleg Vrona, head of St. Nicholas Church on Vene tänav in Tallinn, took part in the online version of the Immortal Regiment broadcast by the Russian Orthodox Church's television channel, Spas.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, YouTube blocked the Spas channel on its platform. As of December 2023, Spas is under European Union sanctions.

Read the full 2024-2025 ISS Annual Review here.

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