Montenegro detains Rybar founder Mikhail Zvinchuk
Montenegro has detained Mikhail Zvinchuk, founder of Rybar, one of Russia’s largest and most influential pro-war Telegram channels. Rybar plays a major role in Russia’s war propaganda publishing Kremlin narratives.
🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦285A former Russian military intelligence officer, Zvinchuk was detained alongside his wife and three associates. The US offers up to $10 million for information on Rybar’s operations to interfere in American elections.
Banjo time23Visa free entry is over for Russians
hholymmack.bsky.social22Theres a lot more ruzzians that deserve the same, but still are enjoying all the benefits of the western world, at the same time pissing on the western world, and the western world with open mouth trying to suck all of it, shameless world where greedy and criminal people are the ones ruling.
Medoyid_ua19Rybar ran a strike-mapping and psyops shop with a payroll. Podgorica putting cuffs on its founder is the enforcement the EU sanctions list never delivered. Extradition is the next front.
atchijov.bsky.social12Why he was allowed to Montenegro in a first place? Throw him to the jail… he can be dealt with after Russian defeat and Putin’s death.
augusto-magalhaes.bsky.social8maybe a planned act of self-preservation?!? (better locked in the west than fall from a window or slip in tea)
1/ The arrest in Montenegro of Russia's leading warblogger, Mikhail Zvinchuk, is causing shock in Russia. He and his wife potentially face 15 years' imprisonment if they are extradited to the US after an operation said to have involved the US National Security Agency. ⬇️
ChrisO_wiki1702/ Zvinchuk is the leader of the 'Rybar' warblogging project, which is Russia's leading military-related Telegram channel with 1.56 million subscribers. His operation – which is run by a team, not just one person – is widely believed to be closely linked to the Russian state.
Pax Lusitanica30Their thought process was probably more like "Montenegro is a fellow Orthodox Slavic country where we have completely free rein" than "Running around in a NATO country to spread disinformation might have consequences". Perhaps they are wiser now.
Background Actor14If they are extradited, Trump will just pardon them after being paid a bribe. But it seems like their crime is against Montenegro so Montenegro should prosecute them.
🗽7Why was he there? Was he trying to stop Montenegro joining the EU?
micmic16.bsky.social5A border guard who will empty your pockets.. I thought he meant "take bribes" with this sentence?
gberfieldusaua.bsky.social2Montenegro should be wary of the NSA. My guess is they are. Extradition may go forward but in my view, during 2029
ChrisO_wiki692/ The arrest this morning of 'Rybar' co-founder Mikhail Zvinchuk has caused widespread shock across Russia's warblogosphere and political circles. The general reaction is amazement, defiance, disbelief at his "stupidity", and suspicions of a conspiracy. bsky.app/profile/chri...
ChrisO_wiki472/ The news follows their arrest this morning by Montenegrin police and the country's National Security Agency, after they entered the country to make a documentary film that sought to portray Montenegro's European integration in a negative (and therefore pro-Russian) light. bsky.app/profile/chri...
Lindsay Beyerstein39This thread is dynamite. Read it all.
Sanho Tree13Aaaannd they’ve just been released and expelled from Montenegro. Trump has been spared a very awkward situation.
Dana Houle10This guy is wanted by the US for interfering in our elections. He would probably know much about any Russian connections to Trump &/or Musk Why was he released & not extradited? I wonder if NSA etc were involved in the arrest but then State/DOJ told Montenegro they didn’t want him extradited.
susiesulzbach.bsky.social3Rybar, der russische Milblogger, wurde in Montenegro verhaftet und in die USA ausgeflogen. 🤣
Nate Schenkkan2He got sent back to Russia, don't get too excited.
Джейсон Петрович Семерко Jason Semerko 🇺🇦2Very very interesting. And VERY ironic. I remember when a USAF SGT was working on contract to the NSA. She saw the hacking and interference from russia. She tried going up the chain of Command. But they tried to silence her. She went to the media and was arrested. Now the NSA acts.
Citizen Snippy △2Great thread from ChrisO here on Rybar's arrest in Montenegro
Montenegro has detained the head of the Russian Z-propaganda network RYBAR, Mikhail Zvinchuk, who has a whopping 1.5 million subscribers on Telegram alone. Mikhail decided to go to Montenegro despite being sanctioned. This is a very big catch, but the question is what Montenegro will do next.
Kate from Kharkiv167Releasing him would be a huge mistake. Extradition to the US (US State Department maintains a $10 million bounty for Mikhail) would mean a quick exchange for some lost tourist who got caught with weed in Moscow. So it will be very interesting to see what happens.
Dejan Pantic13Rybar Telegram channel posted that they came to Montenegro "legally and officially (they don't say in what official capacity)" to - get this - "film a documentary criticizing Montenegro's push for EU membership". FAFO.
ₚₐᵥₑₗ ₜᵣₒₗₗₒᵥᵢcₕ🇪🇺12Ukraine might have an idea. Kick him over the border and let them take over.
Eggbutt Snafflebit9I hear televised executions are back in vogue...
Gary, Our Duty Is To Resist7Do not release him. Send Putin a clear message that he too will be arrested if he steps foot out of Russia.
tedr5292.bsky.social6Great job Montenegro. All these Russian assholes need to know the world will not tolerate them. They will be arrested if they try to venture out of their hole.
Montenegro authorities have arrested the chief of pro-Kremlin military blog Rybar, Mikhail Zvinchuk, as well as four others. A search discovered drones, sophisticated digital equipment and electronic devices, Vijesti reports.
🇪🇺10Caught while preparing a documentary with content intended to present European integration as a politically imposed process with negative consequences for tourism, economic stability and the national interests of Montenegro. Russian propaganda was in the making! en.vijesti.me/news-b/black...
Rob Jacobs2On the plus side, it would appear that the FSB is pretty inept. Being Z blogger is not a great cover story.
❗Montenegrin authorities detained Russian military analysis channel Rybar founder Mikhail Zvinchuk and several associates in Risan, Vijesti reports. Police and the National Security Agency are conducting an operation targeting suspected hybrid activities linked to the Russian network. #Russia
Mike Hodgskin14Good news. Germany needs to arrest AfD leaders as well
Medoyid_ua7Zvinchuk built Rybar into a strike-mapping and psyops shop with a payroll, EU-sanctioned since 2023. Podgorica putting cuffs on the founder is the enforcement the sanctions list never delivered. Extradition is the next front.
Winnie #Fella 🇺🇦🇬🇧🇵🇹🇪🇺🇿🇦🇺🇸🥩6Extradite him to Ukraine please
NOELREPORTS237Montenegro’s PM Milojko Spajić says authorities have serious indications requiring investigation after Rybar chief Mikhail Zvinchuk was detained. He said attempts at hybrid interference and destabilization have accompanied Montenegro’s path toward Europe. #Europe
NOELREPORTS168Rybar founder Mikhail Zvinchuk, his wife and three others have been taken to a police station in Kotor for questioning, SHOT reports. They were detained early this morning at a hotel, where drones and other digital equipment were reportedly found. #Russia
jaimi.bsky.social2Wait, Rybar doesn’t even live in the Motherland?!
⚡️Founder of Rybar, Russian war propaganda channel, detained in Montenegro. Rybar is one of Russia's most popular pro-war blogs with over 1.5 million followers on the Telegram app, focusing on the coverage of battlefield developments in Ukraine while promoting pro-Russian propaganda about the war.
The Kyiv Independent102The channel's staff has been subject to U.K. and EU sanctions, and the U.S. announced a $10 million reward in 2024 for information on Rybar's activities.
timewaster42.bsky.social3Rybar behind the bars. The US offer probably has been cancelled by Trump...
elonimnot.bsky.social1Ukraine would like to extend their hospitality to this filth to continue his holiday there...?
The Rybar (ENG: Fisherman) TG channel is pretty much official, and Mikhail Zvinchuk sees himself as Russia's "military cultural attaché" He's also sanctioned by the US: under Biden, a $10m reward was placed on his head for election interference. I'm sure Donald will do a deal🤦♂️
Tim White65It's very tough for Ukrainians again, and Kyiv is also subject to increasing problems with long power cuts. It's disappointing to see President Zelenskyy try to shift blame to regional governors like Klychko, but only those governors who refuse to support him.
Heath Ryan3I'm so surprised, and happy. Thank you Montenegro.
Evan S. 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 🇬🇪1More likely, will call the arrest an obstacle to improved Russian/EU and American relations. To that, I say, "Good!"
SallyShuttle1So come along USA. Someone in Montenegro just earned themselves ten million bucks! Pay up!
3.0 Zvinchuk was found with drones and has been observing potential targets in Prague! His wife, Valerija Zvinchuk, was detained in the same raid with several other persons working for the network, according to Montenegrin media. Long article here with the background story! bsky.app/profile/maks...
Slava Bonkus #ElonSucksSoHard154.0 That Rybar vatnik shouldn’t have bragged about not getting recognized at the border of Montenegro!😝 bsky.app/profile/wart...
CherylJean3🤬 Zvinchuk was up to Kremlin bull 💩
Medoyid_ua2Drones and a target list in Prague, not Kotor this time. Rybar isnt a fan channel, its a strike-mapping and psyops shop with a payroll. Montenegro rolled up the founder and his wife in the same raid. Extradition is the next front.
Slava Bonkus #ElonSucksSoHard9That was a great catch!🇲🇪👏 #Rybar bsky.app/profile/bonk...
Slava Bonkus #ElonSucksSoHard6Great catch, well done Montenegro!😎🇲🇪 bsky.app/profile/bonk...
Waltereggers4"When Prigozhin’s mutiny failed and his business network was broken up, Rybar did not disappear. Instead, it was swallowed whole by the state... assessments show that funding for the network was taken over by Rostec ... From that point on, Rybar stopped operating as a ... media outlet altogether."