A prominent Russian war blogger and former military officer, Mikhail Zvinchuk, was arrested on Friday in Montenegro for allegedly attempting to destabilise the country. Zvinchuk, who founded the popular Telegram channel Rybar and has been a staunch supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was detained in Risan along with his wife and three others.
Montenegro’s Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, announced the arrest, asserting that the country is safeguarding its interests and pursuing European Union membership. He warned that Montenegro would not tolerate attempts to undermine its stability.
Zvinchuk’s arrest has drawn attention because he is a prominent figure in the Russian media landscape. After arriving in Montenegro, he claimed he entered the country despite being on European sanctions lists because border authorities failed to stop him.
As Montenegro, a former ally of Russia, has shifted towards the West—joining NATO in 2017 and implementing EU sanctions—officials have warned of possible Russian hybrid operations to disrupt their European integration.
In response, former President Dmitry Medvedev stated that Russian citizens travelling to Europe could face arrests and hinted at potential retaliation against Europeans and Americans.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
