February 13, 2026

Priest Iakov Vorontsov, who criticized the ROC, detained in Kazakhstan. He is accused of storing and using drugs

Photo: social networks. On the night of February 13, in Almaty, law enforcement officers of Kazakhstan detained former hieromonk of the Astana and Almaty diocese of the ROC Iakov (Vladimir) Vorontsov. His lawyer Galym Nurpeisov told "Agentstvo" about this. Currently, Vorontsov is undergoing "pre-trial investigation procedures," the publication clarified. As a result, he was detained for 10 days. An administrative protocol was filed against him under the article "Drinking alcoholic beverages or appearing in public places in a state of intoxication." Vorontsov does not admit guilt, writes "Azattyk Asia." The Almaty Department of Police reported that "powdery substances" were found with the priest, and Vorontsov himself used drugs. According to Nurpeisov, he is accused of non-medical use of narcotic drugs. Vorontsov was born in Kazakhstan and served in the Russian Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan until 2023. He spoke out against the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, after which he was defrocked. After that, Vorontsov announced that he intended to create an Orthodox church in Kazakhstan independent of the ROC, but the local authorities refused to register the parish.