The founder and head of the “Rybar” project was detained in Montenegro. The US offered huge amounts of money for information about him

The founder of the Telegram channel “Rybar”, Mikhail Zvinchuk, was detained by special services in Montenegro. The operation involving security forces took place on Friday, October 9, at 7:30 a.m. local time at the Mövenpick Hotel in Risan.

Along with Zvinchuk, his wife, who is the creative director of the channel, and three colleagues were detained. They were taken out of the room without being allowed to pay for their stay or take away their personal belongings.

The detainees were accused of interfering in the country's information space

According to Baza, the reason for the arrest was the intervention of the channel’s authors in the information space of Montenegro.

The detainees are accused of “distributing pro-Russian information materials.” However, specific charges have not yet been brought against them publicly. No official information was announced about the initiation of a criminal case and the selection of a preventive measure. As local media write, “Rybar” wanted to make material about the inadmissibility of the country’s European integration.

“Montenegro is a NATO member and a diligent EU candidate. She needs to hand in her homework. Five Russians with a camera look great in a report on European integration,” military correspondent Alexander Kots spoke about the situation.

The Russian Embassy is clarifying the circumstances of the incident, said the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova.

There have been no new publications in the channel since 10:49 Moscow time. Zvinchuk and the others are currently under interrogation. Their phones and documents, as well as equipment, including quadcopters, were confiscated.

The US State Department announced a large reward for data on Rybar employees

Back in 2024, the US State Department announced a $10 million reward for information about the creators and any persons associated with this Telegram channel. A reward awaited those who could provide information to identify or locate individuals associated with Project Rybar.

It was noted that the American State Department believes that the project “interferes in American elections by reporting on the problems of illegal migrants in the United States, which sows partisan and racial discord, and also encourages hatred and violence.”

In the country, Zvinchuk and his wife face up to 15 years in prison under articles of interference of foreigners in the work of the state.