Founder of the “Rybar” propaganda network, his wife and their accomplices are being deported from Montenegro

The couple Mikhail and Valeria Zvinchuk — the head and creative director of the Russian propaganda network "Rybar" — and three other Russian citizens who were previously detained are being deported from Montenegro.

This was reported by the Montenegrin police, Vijesti reports.

Russians Serhiy Bilous, Pavel Lekatorchuk, and Kira Doroshenko will also be deported from the country. The police explained that they were detained today as part of an operation aimed at preventing, detecting, and neutralizing illegal activities in the country.

The decision to expel them was made for reasons of national and internal security. Mikhail Zvinchuk was also recognized as a leader and member of the Russian political-hybrid network "Rybar". He was also banned from entering and transiting through the territory of the EU. The reason is activities that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

During the searches, sophisticated digital equipment, a drone, a camera, a GoPro, and several phones were seized.

Earlier this day, it became known that these five citizens had been detained. At that time, sources told Vijesti that Montenegrin security services knew about the arrival of the network representatives in advance and had been monitoring them for several days.

They claimed that the Zvinchuks and their accomplices had come to the country to film a documentary on the harmonization of Montenegroʼs visa policy with EU standards.

This material, according to sources, was intended to present European integration as a politically imposed process that would negatively impact tourism, economic stability, and national interests of Montenegro.

What is known about the “Rybar” network?

The “Rybar” platform became known for its military analytics and Telegram channels. Western institutions have linked its activities to the spread of pro-Russian narratives and disinformation. Britain has imposed sanctions on Valeria Zvinchuk, the creative director of the “Rybar” project.

Mykhailo Zvinchuk is one of the founders of the network. He has been under European Union sanctions since June 2023. According to the Council of the EU, he spread disinformation and participated in a working group created by Putin to coordinate activities related to the war against Ukraine.

In 2024, the US State Department reported a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the whereabouts of people from the “Rybar” network who are linked to interference in the US elections.

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