Montenegro detains Rybar founder Mikhail Zvinchuk

Montenegro’s police and National Security Agency conducted an operation targeting a suspected network linked to the project. Local media report five detainees, including Rybar’s founder and his wife; specific charges have not been announced publicly.

Montenegrin security services detained five people in Risan during an operation targeting a suspected Rybar network, the national broadcaster RTCG reported. Among those detained were project founder Mikhail Zvinchuk, his wife and colleagues, Russian outlet Lenta reported. Montenegrin newspaper Vijesti also reported Zvinchuk’s detention and that of several people associated with the project.

According to Lenta, the operation took place at about 07:30 on October 9 at the Mövenpick Hotel. Phones, documents and equipment, including quadcopters, were seized. Vijesti, citing security-sector sources, also reported that digital equipment and drones were taken. At the time of publication, specific charges had not been made public, and no official announcement of a criminal case had been issued.

RTCG said the operation targeted people suspected of links to the Russian information network Rybar. Lenta, citing Baza, said the operation was prompted by the project authors’ alleged activity in Montenegro’s information space. That account remains a media report: the reviewed public statements from authorities did not confirm specific charges.

In 2024, the U.S. Rewards for Justice program announced a reward of up to $10 million for information helping identify or locate people associated with Rybar and interference in U.S. elections. The program concerned information about several people linked to the project, rather than a separate bounty for Zvinchuk’s detention.