On October 8, 2026 Mikhail Zvinchuk, the founder of the pro‑Russian Telegram channel Rybar, reported that he had entered Montenegro. Shortly afterward he suggested that the country’s border guards had been incompetent, allowing him to slip past entry restrictions despite being listed on European Union sanctions lists.
The next morning, October 9, 2026, Montenegrin law enforcement acted. Police together with the nation’s security agency detained Zvinchuk and three of his employees. The operation was carried out to stop what officials described as potentially dangerous activity on Montenegrin soil.
Following the detentions, the Montenegro government announced that it would expel Zvinchuk, his wife, and the three detained employees. The government said the expulsion is a preventive step to stop potentially dangerous activities.
The government said the expulsion is a preventive step to stop potentially dangerous activities.
In a statement, Montenegrin authorities said the detentions were necessary to "prevent potentially dangerous activities of these individuals on the territory of Montenegro." The quote underscores the official rationale: stopping any possible threat before it could materialize.
Zvinchuk appears on European Union sanctions lists, a designation that Montenegro normally mirrors in its own restrictions. Yet he managed to enter the country, a fact he attributed to border‑guard error. Zvinchuk said his entry was due to border‑guard error, highlighting a gap in enforcement.
After the detentions, Montenegrin authorities issued formal deportation orders for Zvinchuk and his associates, saying the action was needed to prevent potentially dangerous activities on its territory.