Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion detained in the Czech Republic. His car was stopped on Sunday ...

Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion has been detained in the Czech Republic. His car was stopped on Sunday while traveling through Karlovy Vary, and in the trunk they found four small containers with a white substance. An examination is underway.

At one time Metropolitan Hilarion (Grigory Alfeyev) was considered the second most important figure in the Russian Orthodox Church after Patriarch Kirill. After the full-scale invasion, Hilarion was transferred to Hungary, but there he became embroiled in scandal: Hilarion's cell attendant accused him of sexual harassment, after which the metropolitan was transferred to Karlovy Vary.

Czech and Hungarian media also reported on Hilarion's ties to the FSB, see the DW backgrounder.

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The Czechs are красавцы, but of course the question is: what is the Russian Orthodox Church, which is de facto a branch of the FSB, even still doing in Europe?

And yes, as it happens, the Russian Security Council approved a law on the use of the armed forces to protect Russians abroad. Are they going to go into the Czech Republic to protect him, or what?

DW

Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Hilarion detained in the Czech Republic

Containers with a white substance were found in Metropolitan Hilarion's car; he himself claims that he has never had anything to do with drug trafficking. Media had previously reported on Hilarion's ties to the FSB.