Metropolitan Hilarion filed a lawsuit against the TV channel «Dozhd» in Moscow’s Ostankino Court

RBK discovered the case card in the Ostankino District Court of Moscow. It states that Metropolitan Hilarion (Grigory Alfeyev) filed a lawsuit against the TV channel “Dozhd” for the protection of honor, dignity, and business reputation, but the substance of the claims is not disclosed in the court materials.

Hilarion declined to comment to RBK. Earlier, he headed the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and was a member of the synod — the highest governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In 2022, Hilarion became Metropolitan of Budapest and Hungary.

In 2024, his former cell attendant Georgy Suzuki accused him of harassment, after which Hilarion was sent to serve as an ordinary priest in Karlovy Vary, in the Czech Republic.

In May 2026, the car in which Hilarion was traveling was stopped by officers of the Czech law enforcement agencies. Four small containers with a white substance were found in the car, and later the Czech police stated that they contained cocaine.

Hilarion was detained, but was soon released without charges. At the end of May, he returned to Russia; in June, it was reported that he had been sent to serve in Brazil, and in July the Russian Orthodox Church announced that he would remain in Russia.

Sources

• Material: meduza.io