Rybar founder Mikhail Zvinchuk arrested in Montenegro

Mikhail Zvinchuk, the founder of Russia's pro-war Rybar Telegram channel, was arrested in Montenegro on Friday, Rybar and Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said.

Rybar said Zvinchuk was detained with other Russian citizens and said the group was in Montenegro legally. It said they had planned to film at the Cetinje Monastery, a Serbian Orthodox site.

The Montenegrin news outlet Vijesti earlier reported the arrest, quoting unnamed security sources. It said Zvinchuk's wife and three other people were also arrested.

Vijesti quoted security sources as saying the group had been planning to film a documentary criticising Montenegro's moves toward the European Union that would have had negative consequences for tourism, economic stability and national interests.

Spajic described the arrest as a successful operation and said Montenegro's institutions were protecting the country's interests and its European future.

Zvinchuk, 35, is a former soldier who served with Russia's army in Syria. The United States has offered a $10 million reward for information on him and several other Rybar employees over alleged election interference. The European Union has sanctioned him over what it said were actions undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, and accused him of spreading disinformation and pro-Kremlin propaganda about the war.

Montenegro, a Balkan country of about 620,000 people, is seeking to complete EU accession talks by the end of the year.