BRUSSELS — Czech police have released a Russian bishop who was detained after a white powder was found in his vehicle, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.
The incident took place on a highway in the Czech Republic, where routine checks led officers to search the bishop’s car. The substance, described only as a white powder, was recovered and sent for laboratory analysis, according to a statement from Czech police. The bishop was later released pending the results of the investigation.
The Russian Orthodox Church confirmed that the man was a serving bishop but declined to provide further details, saying only that he was travelling in an official capacity.
Diplomatic relations between Prague and Moscow have been strained since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Czech Republic has been a staunch supporter of Kyiv and has backed successive EU sanctions packages against Moscow.
A Czech foreign ministry spokesperson said the incident was being handled in line with standard procedures, adding that Prague had “zero tolerance” for any attempts to use Czech territory for illicit activities linked to Russian intelligence operations.
The case has drawn attention given broader European concerns about Russian hybrid operations — including espionage, sabotage attempts, and influence campaigns — targeting EU member states. In April, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency warned of increased Russian intelligence activity on Czech territory.
Results of the forensic analysis are expected within days. Czech prosecutors have said they will not comment further until testing is complete.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.