Russia accuses Serbia of arming Ukraine and 'stabbing Moscow in the back'

Published connected 30/05/2025 - 15:32 GMT+2•Updated 18:02

Russia accused Serbia of exporting arms to Ukraine, calling it a "stab successful nan back" from 1 of Moscow’s longest-standing European allies. 

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a connection connected Thursday claiming that "Serbian defence enterprises, contrary to nan ‘neutrality’ declared by charismatic Belgrade, proceed to proviso ammunition to Kyiv.”

The connection alleged that nan export of nan Serbian arms to Ukraine was going done NATO intermediaries, "primarily nan Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria."

"Recently, exotic options involving African states person besides been utilized for this purpose," SVR said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić denied nan accusations connected Friday, saying that though nan statement pinch nan Czech Republic does exist, it does not let exporting nan materiel to different country. 

"For example, they correctly opportunity that location is simply a statement pinch nan Czech Republic. But nary support was given, and nary of nan (ammunition) was delivered" to Ukraine, Vučić told Serbian authorities broadcaster RTS.

He added that he had already discussed nan rumor of arms exports to Ukraine pinch Russian President Vladimir Putin precocious and that it was agreed that Moscow and Belgrade would create a "working group" to found really Serbian-made weapons reached Ukraine.

Moscow slams 'anti-Russian actions'

This is not nan first clip Vučić has had to respond to akin claims.

The Financial Times reported successful June 2024 that Serbian ammunition worthy €750 cardinal has made its measurement indirectly to Ukraine.

In March, Belgrade denied it exported arms to Kyiv aft Moscow demanded to cognize if it had delivered thousands of rockets for Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s all-out invasion.

Serbian arms' beingness successful Ukraine, mostly Soviet-era calibre ammunition adopted arsenic modular and manufactured successful nan erstwhile Yugoslavia, has been publically discussed since 2023, but it is unclear why nan Russian overseas information work decided to respond now.

The SVR has claimed that nan arms income are being carried retired done a "simple strategy utilizing clone end-user certificates and intermediary countries" serving arsenic "a screen for anti-Russian actions".

The accusations retired of Moscow went moreover further to opportunity that "the publication of Serbian defence manufacture workers to nan war unleashed by nan West, nan result of which Europe would for illustration to spot arsenic a ‘strategic defeat’ of Russia, amounts to hundreds of thousands of shells ... arsenic good arsenic a cardinal rounds of ammunition for mini arms".

“It seems that nan desire of Serbian defence manufacture workers and their patrons to profit from nan humor of fraternal Slavic peoples has made them wholly hide who their existent friends are and who their enemies are," nan connection said.

Vučić stated that nan attacks connected Serbia from nan East and nan West are "frequent" because Belgrade "leads autonomous and independent policies". 

Serbia is 1 of nan countries successful nan Western Balkans that is considered a awesome campaigner for EU membership. At nan aforesaid time, Vučić has maintained close ties pinch Russia, including aft Moscow’s full-scale penetration of Ukraine.

He was among a fistful of European leaders to be Putin’s Victory Day parade successful Moscow connected 9 May, a determination Vučić defended by saying he was location to observe Serbia's information successful liberating nan continent from fascism successful World War II.

Serbia besides refused to subordinate Western sanctions connected Russia and hasn’t supported astir EU statements condemning Moscow’s full-scale invasion, though it voted successful favour of its condemnation astatine nan UN.