Molotov cocktails thrown at Russian House in Prague

“Since yesterday evening, we have been investigating an attack in which someone threw several Molotov cocktails at the Russian House on Na Zátorce street, Prague 6,” Czech police announced earlier this morning on X.

Authorities were still searching for the unknown perpetrator, who quickly fled the scene, on Friday morning. No one has been reported hurt or injured.

The director of the Russian House Igor Girenko later told a Russian news agency that only some of the Molotov cocktails had exploded and called the perpetrators “terrorists”.

The Russian Center for Science and Culture (RSVK), commonly known as the Russian House, is located in Prague’s Dejvice district, just a short walk away from the Russian Embassy. Its ostensible purpose is to promote Russian language and culture through various programs, workshops or courses covering science, history, education and more.

It is operated by Russian state agency Rossotrudnichestvo, which has been placed on the EU’s sanctions list after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Many have long pointed out the Russian House’s central role in spreading Russian propaganda, disinformation and the Kremlin’s political narratives, and some European countries have forced their closure.

Several protests, including some organized by the Hlas Ukrajiny (Voice of Ukraine) initiative or Kaputin association, have been held in front of the Russian center, and calls for its closure appear on a regular basis in Czech media and public debate.

Former Russian ambassador in Prague Alexander Zmeyevsky last year complained about an “unhealthy atmosphere” around the Russian house, criticizing repeated calls to close the institution and “hooligan attacks” against the building.

Czech authorities do not recognize the diplomatic status of the center’s building.