Montenegro is ending visa-free travel for Russians. Moscow says Montenegrins will now need visas, too.
Source: Izvestia
Montenegrin citizens will need visas to travel to Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told Izvestia.
She confirmed that Montenegro’s Foreign Ministry had notified Russia that it was terminating the agreement governing travel between the two countries. Starting November 1, Russians will need visas to enter Montenegro.
“As a result, Montenegrin citizens will also have to obtain visas to travel to Russia,” Zakharova said.
On July 27, Montenegro officially announced it would introduce visa requirements for Russian citizens. The government said the changes were necessary to bring its visa policy into line with EU rules. Citizens of Belarus, China, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia will also need visas.
On October 9, Montenegrin authorities detained Mikhail Zvinchuk, the creator of the Telegram channel “Rybar,” who had traveled there in part to film a report ahead of the new visa requirements for Russians. In 2024, the U.S. State Department announced a $10 million reward for information about Zvinchuk; he is also under EU sanctions. In the end, however, Montenegrin authorities simply expelled him and sent him back to Russia.
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