Montenegro expels Rybar head Zvinchuk and four others; group flies out of Podgorica
In short
Mikhail Zvinchuk (Михаил Звинчук), head of the Rybar (Рыбарь) project, his wife Valeria and three others were detained on 9 October in Risan, Montenegro, and then expelled, with police citing national and internal security considerations. A diplomatic source told RIA Novosti they had flown out of Podgorica, and Zvinchuk said they were on their way home.
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Mikhail Zvinchuk (Михаил Звинчук), head of the Rybar (Рыбарь) project, and his companions are on their way to Russia after being expelled from Montenegro, Vedomosti reported, citing the project's Telegram channel. TASS reported that Zvinchuk said he and his wife Valeria were on their way home. A diplomatic source told RIA Novosti: "They flew out of Podgorica." [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Zvinchuk, his wife Valeria and three other people were detained in the town of Risan, according to Vedomosti and RIA Novosti. Vedomosti dated the detention 9 October, while RIA Novosti said it took place earlier on Friday. Montenegrin law enforcement later said the detained Russians would be expelled, and police explained their actions by "national and internal security considerations", Vedomosti reported. According to the police, the deportation decision covered Zvinchuk, his wife Valeria and his associates Sergei Belous (Сергей Белоус), Pavel Lekatorchuk (Павел Лекаторчук) and Kira Doroshenko (Кира Дорошенко). [ 2 , 3 ]
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti that Zvinchuk and the other Russians detained in Montenegro had been released and were at the airport waiting to depart. [ 3 ]
In a video address, Zvinchuk said they were arrested at 7 a.m., the day after they had asked for permission for official filming for a documentary at the monastery in Cetinje. He said they had contacted the metropolitan but received no answer, and that all their equipment was seized. "They asked whether we had really come here to recruit foreigners to take part in the special military operation," he said, according to Vedomosti. He added that after holding them for eight hours the authorities decided to deport them and did not return the equipment. RIA Novosti also reported Zvinchuk as saying the arrest followed an official request to film at the Cetinje monastery. [ 2 , 3 ]
Zvinchuk thanked the Russian Foreign Ministry and diplomats for helping to resolve the situation. "Thanks to the reaction of the foreign policy agency and Russian state bodies, the issue was resolved quickly," the message said, according to Vedomosti. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
Montenegrin police justified the expulsion of the Russians on national and internal security grounds, while Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on the case and Zvinchuk thanked Russian diplomats for resolving it. Zvinchuk's account that he was questioned about recruiting foreigners for the special military operation has not been addressed by Montenegrin authorities in the documents.
Key facts
- Zvinchuk, his wife Valeria and three other people were detained in the town of Risan in Montenegro. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Vedomosti dated the detention 9 October; RIA Novosti said it took place on Friday. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Montenegrin police said the detained Russians would be expelled, citing "national and internal security considerations". [ 2 ]
- The deportation decision covered Zvinchuk, Valeria, Sergei Belous (Сергей Белоус), Pavel Lekatorchuk (Павел Лекаторчук) and Kira Doroshenko (Кира Дорошенко), according to the police as cited by Vedomosti. [ 2 ]
- Zvinchuk said the arrest came after the group requested permission for official filming for a documentary at the monastery in Cetinje. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti the detained Russians had been released and were at the airport waiting to depart. [ 3 ]
- A diplomatic source told RIA Novosti the group flew out of Podgorica. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Zvinchuk, his wife Valeria and three other people were detained in Risan, Montenegro, and then expelled from the country. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Zvinchuk said the arrest followed a request to film at the monastery in Cetinje. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Zvinchuk said he and his wife Valeria were on their way home. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Zakharova said Zvinchuk and the other detained Russians had been released and were at the airport waiting to depart. [ 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Montenegrin authorities questioned the group about recruiting foreigners for the special military operation. This comes only from Zvinchuk's own account; the documents give no response from Montenegrin authorities.
- Whether the seized equipment will be returned. Zvinchuk said all equipment was seized and not returned; no other source addresses it.
- What specific security concerns led to the expulsion. Police cited only "national and internal security considerations" without further detail.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The group was arrested, according to Zvinchuk. [ 2 ]
- TASS reported Zvinchuk said he and his wife Valeria were on their way home. [ 1 ]
- Vedomosti reported, citing the Rybar Telegram channel, that Zvinchuk and his companions were on their way to Russia. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti reported, citing a diplomatic source, that Zvinchuk had flown out of Podgorica. [ 3 ]