Founder of Russian war blog Rybar arrested in Montenegro

Founder of Russian War Blog Rybar Arrested in Montenegro Over Influence Claims

Arrest and Political Context

Details of the Arrest

BELGRADE, Oct 9 (Reuters) - The head of the influential Russian war blog Rybar was arrested in Montenegro on Friday, following warnings of attempts to destabilize the country, its prime minister said.

Mikhail Zvinchuk was detained with his wife and three other Russians by police and security agents in the Adriatic resort of Risan, on charges of spreading "Russian influence", Pobjeda newspaper reported, citing sources.

Rybar’s Response

Rybar - one of the most popular blogs on Russia's war in Ukraine, with more than 1.5 million subscribers - posted a message saying Zvinchuk and the others had been in the country legally and were planning to film at a monastery there.

"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," Rybar said. 

Montenegro’s Official Statement

Montenegro's Prime Minister, Milojko Spajic, posted a message on X confirming Zvinchuk's detention and saying it had followed warnings that the country would face attempts to destabilize it and hybrid warfare - acts that fall short of direct military conflict.

"There are serious indications that require every lead to be carefully examined and every connection to be viewed in a broader context," he wrote.

"The message after today's successful operation, in which the head of the Rybar information network was detained, is clear ... Montenegro is protecting its interests, and no one will jeopardize our European future," he added.

Background: Montenegro-Russia Relations

Historical Tensions

Montenegro has long had fraught relations with Moscow. In 2016, authorities there accused Russia of plotting with a group of Serbian ultranationalists to stage a coup, a charge the Kremlin denied.

Ties soured further when the small Adriatic republic joined NATO in 2017. 

Recent Developments

Montenegro, a candidate for membership in the European Union, enforced sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine in 2022, banned Russian state media and expelled Russian diplomats for spying. In a retaliatory move, Moscow declared it an enemy state. 

Rybar Blog and International Reactions

Role of Russian Military Bloggers

Russia's military bloggers have acted as cheerleaders for the war in Ukraine, while sometimes criticising Russian military leaders for their handling of it.

US State Department Actions

Sanctions and Rewards

In October 2024, the US State Department offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of 19 individuals involved in managing Rybar-led social media channels, saying they had promoted Russia's political interests in the US ahead of the 2024 presidential elections. 

"Rybar has sought to ... promote social division, stoke partisan and racial discord, and encourage hate and violence in the United States," the State Department's Rewards for Justice program said. 

(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Andrew Heavens)