Czech police detain Russian priest over ‘white substance’ find | Crime News
Czech Police Detain Russian Cleric; Moscow Issues Strong Condemnation
Czech Republic—May 25, 2026—Czech police have detained Orthodox Bishop Hilarion after four containers of a suspicious white substance were found in his vehicle. The detainment occurred in Karlovy Vary and was announced Monday through a statement on the cleric’s Telegram channel by his defense team.
Moscow expressed its displeasure over the incident, labeling it a “provocation” against the Czech government. This reaction unfolds in the context of reduced Czech support for Ukraine since the current administration took over six months ago.
Bishop Hilarion, 60, whose secular name is Grigory Alfeyev, oversees the Russian Orthodox Church’s congregation in Karlovy Vary, which has a significant Russian population. In a statement, he denied any connection to drug possession, asserting, “I have no connection and have never had any connection to the illegal trafficking of narcotic substances.”
Czech authorities confirmed that the detainment occurred on Sunday evening along a highway between Karlovy Vary and Prague but did not reveal the detainee’s identity. The Czech Drug Enforcement Centre acted on an anonymous tip regarding the transportation of narcotics and psychotropic substances.
According to Hilarion’s defense, police provided no clear justification for stopping the vehicle, and two patrol cars appeared to be waiting for it. His lawyer stated that Hilarion was not allowed to observe the search. The defense is requesting independent forensic analysis of the substance as well as fingerprint and DNA testing.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova condemned the detainment as an “orchestrated provocation” meant to discredit Hilarion and demanded his immediate release. She announced that the head of the Czech diplomatic mission in Moscow will be summoned to convey a formal protest regarding what she described as the unacceptable behavior of Czech authorities.
Reports from Russian media indicate that Hilarion has faced months of anonymous threats, including those urging him to leave his post in Karlovy Vary. Once considered a close associate of Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Hilarion was reportedly sidelined by Moscow’s spiritual authorities after being assigned to the Czech Republic in 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
His assignment followed allegations of sexual misconduct by a former aide, which Hilarion denied, claiming the aide attempted to extort €384,000 from him. Unlike many senior Russian clerics who openly support the war in Ukraine, Hilarion has refrained from making public statements on the conflict.
In a related development, the Czech government, formed by a coalition of populist and far-right parties, announced a legal amendment intended to tighten regulations regarding the stays and financial support of Ukrainian refugees. Officials stated the decision aims to address perceived abuses of aid and notions that refugees might receive advantages over local residents.
