Prigozhin links, Kremlin funding put another Russian media company on US list

The latest Russian media organization to draw attention from the U.S. government survived the downfall of mogul Yevgeniy Prigozhin and retains tight links to the Kremlin’s military machine.

Rybar, known for a Telegram channel with 1.3 million followers, uses social media to promote Russian government political interests in the U.S. and is attempting to interfere in the 2024 election, according to the State Department, which has posted a $10 million reward for information leading to the identification or location of individuals behind the organization.

The media organization was previously funded by Prigozhin, whose media empire — which formally dissolved earlier in October — was best known for operating “troll farms” involved in disinformation campaigns, including during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Rybar currently receives funding through contracted work with the Russian defense industrial organization Rostec, according to the State Department. The Moscow-based conglomerate was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 2022.

“Rybar relies on connections and funding from Rostec to bolster Russia’s military capabilities and advance pro-Russian and anti-Western narratives,” the State Department said.

Among its various efforts on social media, Rybar established a channel on X (formerly Twitter) to exploit the issue of undocumented immigrants crossing the Texas border, the State Department said. Through this channel, Rybar has sought “to sow discord, promote social division, stoke partisan and racial discord, and encourage hate and violence in the U.S.,” the statement said.

Earlier in September, the U.S. expanded its sanctions against Russian media figures and accused the state news agency RT of conducting a covert influence operation in the U.S. and worldwide, with the help of a cyber unit linked to Russian intelligence services.

The U.S. also indicted two RT employees for allegedly helping run a $10 million operation to covertly spread pro-Russian narratives to U.S. audiences.

Among the individuals linked to Rybar and wanted by the U.S. is the organization’s founder, Mikhail Zvinchuk.

“For me, it came as a complete surprise. However, considering that they accuse almost everyone of interference, it’s not all that surprising. It shows that our activities are being noticed,” Zvinchuk commented in an interview with Russian media.

When asked whether he plans to provide information about Rybar to U.S. authorities to claim the reward, Zvinchuk said he does not believe the payment will be fulfilled. He admitted, however, that if he did receive the $10 million reward, he would invest the funds in expanding Rybar’s infrastructure and its partner network.

Zvinchuk said that the U.S.'s attention to the organization indicates that “we are not just a Telegram channel... but a fairly serious platform that qualifies as a national security threat to an entire state.”