The creator of the Telegram channel “Rybar”, Mikhail Zvinchuk, was detained in Montenegro on the morning of October 9, 2026. Together with the Russian military blogger, his wife Valeria and three other people were detained. Read more in the RIA Novosti material.
Who is detained: Mikhail Zvinchuk and other Russians.
Where and when: the city of Risan, on the shores of the Bay of Kotor, on the morning of October 9.
Why: The media report suspicions of “hybrid activity.”
What's next: the authorities are investigating the circumstances; there is no public information about the court decision and release dates yet.
What is known about the detention of “Rybar” in Montenegro
Below is information about the personality of Mikhail Zvinchuk.
Where and when was Mikhail Zvinchuk detained?
The detention took place on the morning of October 9 in Risan, a city on the coast of the Bay of Kotor. On the same day, the editors of Rybar confirmed the detention of the leader and other Russian citizens.
Who was detained along with the channel founder
According to local media, his wife Valeria and three other people were detained along with him.
How the operation of the police and the NSA of Montenegro took place
The operation was carried out by police officers together with the National Security Agency of Montenegro. It is alleged that the special services knew in advance about the arrival of the Rybar team and watched it for several days.
Why was “Rybar” detained?
Below is the position of the Montenegrin side on the issue of the detention of Mikhail Zvinchuk.
Official position of Montenegro
Prime Minister Milojko Spajic links the operation with countering attempts at hybrid influence and destabilization of the country. He said there were signs that would require careful investigation and stressed that the details remained under the control of the security services. Spajic also called protecting the European future of Montenegro the task of state institutions.
Suspicions of hybrid activities and foreign interference
According to Montenegrin media, Zvinchuk’s team was preparing a documentary about bringing Montenegro’s visa policy in line with the requirements of the European Union. Internal sources of the publications also believe that the material could present European integration as a process with negative consequences for tourism, the economy and national interests.
Rybar stated that the Russians were in the country legally. Among the travel plans, the team named filming the Cetinje Monastery, for which they sent an official request in advance. Project representatives deny violations of local laws.
Who is Mikhail Zvinchuk and what is the Rybar channel?
Below is basic information about Mikhail Zvinchuk and the activities of the Rybar channel.
What is the founder of "Rybar" known for?
Mikhail Sergeevich Zvinchuk was born on July 19, 1991 in Vladivostok. Russian military blogger who previously worked in the press service of the Ministry of Defense. In his interviews, he said that he left the department in 2019, served in special forces and participated in foreign missions.
History of the creation and development of the Telegram channel
Zvinchuk and Denis Shchukin created “Rybar” in 2018. The channel is known for publishing combat maps, military reports and analysis of international conflicts. After the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine, the audience of the project grew significantly.
Why "Rybar" is being persecuted in the West
Below are the main reasons and consequences of sanctions pressure on the Rybar channel.
Charges of interference in US elections and a $10 million reward
In October 2024, the US State Department announced a reward of up to $10 million for information about the alleged interference of Rybar employees in the American elections. The list includes project director Mikhail Zvinchuk and his wife Valeria, creative director. The announcement of a reward does not in itself confirm the existence of an arrest warrant or extradition request.
EU sanctions
The European Union included Zvinchuk on the sanctions list on June 23, 2023. In the justification, the EU Council indicated his activities in Rybar and participation in the working group on mobilization issues created in December 2022.
UK sanctions
The UK imposed sanctions against Zvinchuk and the Rybar company on December 9, 2025. The official notice lists him as the organization's CEO. London justified the restrictions by the project's alleged involvement in destabilizing Ukraine.
Russia's reaction
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that diplomats are looking into what happened: “The Russian Embassy in Montenegro is clarifying the circumstances.”
Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov also said that Russia will provide diplomatic support to the blogger.
Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev linked the incident to the risks of Russians traveling to Europe.
“It’s in vain, of course, that our people are dragging around European countries. Even with good intentions and important goals. Potentially, a hunt has been announced for all (I emphasize – all) Russians,” he wrote.
Consequences of detention and what happens next
Specific charges against Mikhail Zvinchuk and the choice of a preventive measure were not publicly reported. Therefore, it is too early to talk about possible punishment and terms of release. Russian diplomats are investigating the circumstances of the detention, and the Rybar team is awaiting the release of the detainees.
Questions and answers
Below are answers to frequently asked questions related to the personality of Mikhail Zvinchuk.
How many subscribers does "Rybar" have?
The Telegram channel has more than 1.5 million subscribers.
Who is Valeria Zvinchuk?
Wife of Mikhail Zvinchuk and creative director of the project.
Is extradition of Zvinchuk to the USA possible?
It’s impossible to say yet.
How long can detainees be held?
The confirmed date has not been publicly announced.
Is Rybar still open?
Yes. The team stated that publications in the main channel and regional resources will continue as before.
