Montenegro Expels Russian War Blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk for Security Reasons

Montenegro expelled Russian war blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk for security reasons on Friday, following his detention alongside his wife and three other Russian citizens in the Adriatic resort town of Risan.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić confirmed the detention, stating it followed warnings of attempts to destabilize the Balkan country and hybrid warfare. Authorities suspected the group of spreading Russian influence and conducting hybrid activities by Russian information networks. Montenegrin law enforcement stated they prevented potentially dangerous activity by these individuals in Montenegro. Police seized sophisticated digital equipment, including a drone, cameras, and several phones during the operation.

Zvinchuk, 35, a former Russian special forces member and defense ministry press officer, co-founded the Rybar Telegram channel in 2018. The channel has over 1.5 million subscribers and focuses on battlefield developments in Ukraine, promoting pro-Russian propaganda. Rybar stated Zvinchuk and his team were in Montenegro legally and officially to film the Cetinje Monastery, having submitted an official request.

The channel claimed no violations of local law and was in contact with Russia’s Foreign Ministry. Zvinchuk is under British and European Union sanctions. The U.S. State Department offered a $10 million reward in 2024 for information on Rybar figures for alleged involvement in election interference and malign influence operations. Montenegro is a NATO member seeking European Union membership.

Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, reacted to the arrest by stating Russia should take more American and European prisoners, claiming a hunt has been declared for all Russians. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian diplomats would determine the reason for the arrest and help protect their rights.