On 2026-10-09, Mikhail Zvinchuk, the founder of the Rybar project, was detained in the Montenegrin town of Risan. He was not alone; his wife and three colleagues were taken into custody at the same time. The detention included Zvinchuk, his wife, and three colleagues, making five people detained. Montenegrin authorities carried out the detention.
Soon after the detention, reports from the outlet Tsargrad suggested that the action might be part of an intelligence operation orchestrated by the United States or the United Kingdom. The speculation was linked to Zvinchuk’s recent social media commentary concerning Montenegro’s visa policies and its path toward EU integration. An anonymous source, quoted in the same reporting, said, "Preliminarily, they took the guys at the request of the USA or Britain. The Montenegrins themselves worked, but at the suggestion of the Americans and the British." This statement frames the Montenegrin authorities as acting under external direction.
In response to the unfolding narrative, Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic offered a terse justification. He stated that the action protects the country's national interests and European future.
In response to the unfolding narrative, Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic offered a terse justification.
Tsargrad journalists noted it is not excluded that the Rybar team was lured to Montenegro for a special services operation.