Montenegro Detains Founder of Russian Pro-War Channel Rybar

Oct. 9, 2026 Mikhail Zvinchuk. Rutube Authorities in Montenegro have arrested Mikhail Zvinchuk, the founder of the influential pro-war Russian Telegram channel Rybar, in an operation targeting suspected Russian influence activities, officials confirmed Friday. The U.S. State Department is offering up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of Zvinchuk, a former Russian Defense Ministry press officer, and other Rybar staff over their alleged involvement in election interference and malign influence operations. Montenegro’s police and National Security Agency (ANB) carried out the operation targeting “hybrid activities” by Russian information networks, security sources told the news outlet Vijesti. Those detained include Zvinchuk’s wife, Rybar creative director Valeria Zvinchuk and with three associates, the outlet reported. Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, whose government is seeking to bring Montenegro into the European Union by 2028, confirmed Zvinchuk’s detention. “Montenegro is protecting its interests and no one will endanger our European future,” Spajić wrote on X. Intelligence agencies had monitored the group for several days after its arrival in Montenegro to film material about the Balkan country’s alignment with EU visa policies, the Russian news outlet Readovka reported. Authorities suspected the material was intended to undermine Montenegro’s tourism industry, economy and national interests, according to the report. Unconfirmed reporting by the Russian Telegram news channel Baza claimed that officers detained Zvinchuk at 7:30 a.m. local time at the Mövenpick Hotel in Risan. It said the group was taken to Podgorica for questioning and their phones and passports were confiscated. Rybar said its team was in Montenegro legally to film a local monastery and that it expected their prompt release. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Russian Embassy in Podgorica was working to establish the circumstances of the detention. Rybar has about 1.5 million Telegram subscribers and publishes daily military analysis of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Zvinchuk is subject to Western sanctions. Read more about: Blogger , Balkans , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Pro-War Bloggers Report Starlink Outage on Ukrainian Front Line The reports come after Elon Musk said last week that efforts to stop Russian troops from using Starlink had been successful. 1 Min read opinion Boris Bondarev Here's What Putin's Peace Talks Playbook Looks Like The prospect that Ukraine and its allies could emerge from the war in a stronger position is alien to the Kremlin's thinking. 6 Min read Russia Forced to Turn to Foreigners and Criminals as Moscow Military Recruitment Plunges Fivefold With fewer Russians volunteering, foreign nationals from China, Ghana and South Africa have begun enlisting in noticeable numbers in Moscow. 2 Min read Pro-War Russian Blogger Commits Suicide – Reports Andrei Morozov, known by his call sign “Murz,” regularly criticized Russia’s military and political leadership on his Telegram channel. 2 Min read