Molotov cocktails thrown at Russian cultural centre in Prague

An unknown attacker threw several Molotov cocktails at the building of a Russian cultural centre in Prague on Thursday night and police are searching for the suspect, Czech police said on Friday.

Pictures released by the police showed a charred facade of the building in the Prague 6 district that is home to many diplomatic missions, including the Russian one.

The Russian embassy said on Facebook that the attacker or attackers threw six bottles with flammables, three of which damaged the facade.

"We consider this incident to be an unprecedented violent act, which threatened the lives and health of the staff," the embassy said.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, on Telegram, called it a "barbarian act".

Czech Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar said on X that any attacks were unacceptable, the matter was under investigation, and authorities were ready to react if further measures are needed.