Officials say a prominent pro-Kremlin Russian military blogger with reported ties to Russia’s intelligence services has been arrested in Montenegro, following warnings that attempts would be made to destabilize the Balkan country. Local media reported that Mikhail Zvinchuk, founder of the influential Rybar war blog, was detained on Friday along with his wife and three other Russians by police and security agents in the Adriatic resort town of Risan, on suspicion of spreading Russian influence. Montenegro’s prime minister, Milojko Spajiฤ, confirmed Zvinchuk’s detention in a post on X, saying it came after warnings that the country would face destabilization attempts and hybrid warfare. The Russian Telegram news channel Baza said officers detained Zvinchuk at the luxury Mรถvenpick hotel in Risan. It said the group was taken to Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, for questioning, and that their phones and passports were confiscated. Founded in 2018 by Zvinchuk, a former press officer at Russia’s defense ministry, Rybar is one of the most popular Russian military blogs covering the war in Ukraine, with more than 1.5 million subscribers on Telegram. It is part of a vast online media ecosystem that promotes Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. But Rybar’s activities go well beyond Ukraine, with the channel promoting pro-Kremlin narratives in Africa and the Middle East. More recently, it has been accused of amplifying far-right narratives around the migration crisis in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in north Africa. “At the moment, the project team is in contact with Russia’s foreign ministry, which is working to resolve the situation. Since there were no violations of local legislation, we expect all detainees to be released,” the channel said on Telegram. View image in fullscreen Milojko Spajiฤ, Montenegro’s prime minister, said the arrest followed warnings of attempts to destabilize his country and hybrid warfare. Photograph: Boris Pejovic/EPA Britain sanctioned Zvinchuk and Rybar in December 2025 over their role in spreading Kremlin propaganda and undermining support for Ukraine. The British government said Zvinchuk received funding from the Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec and worked with members of Russia’s intelligence services. The US has separately accused Zvinchuk of attempting to interfere in the 2024 presidential election, offering a reward of up to $10m for information about those involved. Days before his arrest, Zvinchuk boasted on social media that he had managed to enter Montenegro despite being subject to western sanctions and an entry ban. He mocked a border guard who, he said, had searched his belongings but failed to check his name against a database. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said Moscow was aware of Zvinchuk’s detention and would work to secure his release. skip past newsletter promotion Free newsletter | Every day Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning’s main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day Enter your email Sign up after newsletter promotion Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev suggested Moscow could detain European and American citizens to use in prisoner exchanges to secure Zvinchuk’s release. “We will probably have to replenish our pool of prisoners for exchange with European and American idiots in order to get our own people back,” he wrote on social media. The arrest is likely to further strain relations between Montenegro and Russia, which have long been tense. In 2016, Montenegrin authorities accused Russian operatives of plotting with Serbian ultranationalists to stage a coup, allegations Moscow denied. Montenegro, which joined Nato in 2017 and is seeking membership of the EU, imposed sanctions on Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country recently approved plans to end visa-free travel for Russian citizens from 1 November, closing off a popular holiday destination for Russian tourists as it brings its visa policy into line with the EU.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Mikhail Zvinchuks Arrest in Montenegro
Who is Mikhail Zvinchuk
A Russian military blogger who runs the Telegram channel Rybar which supports the Kremlin and comments on the war in Ukraine
What is Rybar
A popular proKremlin Telegram channel with hundreds of thousands of followers known for maps and analysis of military operations
Why was he arrested in Montenegro
Montenegrin authorities detained him reportedly over money laundering and other financial crimes
When did this happen
Reports of his arrest emerged in 2024
Where exactly was he arrested
In Montenegro a small Balkan country on the Adriatic Sea
Is Montenegro friendly to Russia
Not really Montenegro is a NATO member and has been moving toward the European Union so its generally aligned with the West
Why was Zvinchuk in Montenegro
Reports suggest he had business interests and property there The exact reasons for his presence arent fully clear
What charges does he face
Reports point to money laundering and possible financial fraud
Is this a political arrest
Its unclear Montenegrin officials frame it as a criminal matter but some see political undertones given his proKremlin profile
How has Russia responded
Russian officials have commented on the case but details of their response vary
What could happen to him
If convicted he could face prison time in Montenegro or possible extradition depending on the legal process
Does this affect his Telegram channel
The channel has continued to operate though his personal involvement may be limited while detained
Why does this case matter
It shows how proKremlin figures can face legal trouble abroad and it highlights Montenegros tense relationship with Russia
Is he still in custody
Reports vary so check the latest news for current status
What is money laundering
Moving illegal money through legal channels to hide its origin
Why would a blogger face financial charges
Bloggers with large audiences often run side businesses and if those involve questionable funds authorities may investigate
Can he be extradited to Russia
Possibly but Montenegro and Russia dont have a strong extradition relationship and Montenegro may prefer to handle the case itself
What should I watch for next
Court hearings official statements from Montenegro or Russia and any changes to Rybars
