Montenegro deported Rybar founder Mikhail Zvinchuk — Jerusalem Post

In Montenegro, Mikhail Zvinchuk, the founder of the Russian military blog Rybar, and three other Russian citizens were detained and subsequently deported. The decision was made for reasons of the state’s national and internal security, the Jerusalem Post reports.

Detention in Risan

Zvinchuk, who previously worked for the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, an aggressor state, was detained in the Adriatic resort town of Risan. The newspaper Pobjeda, citing sources, reported that other individuals, including his wife, were detained with him over allegations of spreading “Russian influence.”

Montenegrin police and the National Security Agency (ANB) said they had identified four Russian citizens and carried out the relevant procedures regarding them. The agencies stated that these individuals could no longer remain in the country, and therefore decided to deport them. A police source confirmed that Zvinchuk was among them.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said that the country had been warned about possible attempts at destabilization and hybrid warfare. According to him, Montenegro is protecting its own interests and will not allow its European future to be put at risk.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Rybar’s position and sanctions

Rybar stated that Zvinchuk and the other detainees were legally in Montenegro and planned to film material at a monastery. The blog also claimed that there had been no violations of local law and therefore expected the detainees to be released. The Russian embassy in Podgorica said it had demanded explanations regarding the reasons for the detention.

Rybar has more than 1.5 million subscribers and covers Russia’s war against Ukraine and other Russian activities. In July, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on ten people connected to Rybar, saying the media company receives resources from the Russian state, spreads false narratives about Ukraine, and interferes in elections in Europe, including in Moldova and Armenia.

Relations between Podgorica and Moscow

Montenegro joined NATO in 2017. In 2022, in connection with Russia’s war against Ukraine, it imposed sanctions on Moscow, banned Russian state media, and expelled Russian diplomats for espionage. In response, Moscow declared Montenegro a hostile state.

In October 2024, the U.S. Department of State offered a reward of up to $10 million for information that would help identify 19 people involved in administering Rybar-linked social media channels. The U.S. agency said these channels promoted Russia’s political interests in the United States ahead of the 2024 presidential election.