Mikhail Zvinchuk

Zvinchuk was born in Vladivostok. From the age of 14, he studied at the Suvorov Military School in Moscow. He graduated from the Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation as a military interpreter in Arabic and English. == Career ==

After graduation, he served in the Spetsnaz GRU and was the commander of a reconnaissance group. In 2019, he retired from the military. On December 20, 2022, by order of Vladimir Putin, Zvinchuk was included in the working group for mobilization. == Rybar telegram channel ==

The Rybar channel on Telegram was created by Zvinchuk and Denis Shchukin, a Moscow-based programmer. The creators remained anonymous until their identities were revealed by Bell journalists in November 2022. In 2024, Zvinchuk also reported on the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives, which placed the Russian Khmeimim Air Base and Tartus naval base in the country at risk of being captured by rebels. == Sanctions ==

On January 15, 2023, Zvinchuk was included in the sanctions list of Ukraine because he "propagates war, spreads disinformation and supports the Putin regime." On June 23, 2023, Zvinchuk was included in the sanctions list of all EU countries for supporting actions that undermine and threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. == Awards ==

• Order "For fidelity to duty" (), Republic of Crimea, June 8, 2023 - for a significant personal contribution to the development of journalism in the Republic of Crimea, initiative and dedication shown in the performance of civic duty, and in connection with the Day of Russia • Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" () second class, 16 November 2023 == References ==