Serbia on Friday denied exporting weapons to Ukraine after Moscow demanded to know whether its Balkan ally had delivered thousands of rockets for Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion.
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said that since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, no weapons have been exported from Serbia to any of the “conflicting” parties.
“I can say that because my ministry gives permission for (arms) exports,” Dacic said. “Serbia does not supply military equipment to any country that we believe could be problematic in any way.”
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Russia on Thursday demanded an official explanation from its ally Serbia over reports that the Balkan country had delivered thousands of rockets to Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed “deep concern” over the news, which first came from pro-government Russian media last month.
Serbia has categorically denied claims that it has supplied weapons to Ukrainian forces in the ongoing territorial conflict with Russia. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic, Files)
“We are following this story,” Zakharova said in a statement posted on Russia’s foreign ministry website on Thursday. You added that the possible arming of Ukraine is a “serious issue” for Serbian-Russian relations.
Media reports say a Serbian state-run arms factory recently delivered some 3,500 missiles for the Grad multiple rocket launchers used by both the Ukrainian and Russian militaries. The 122mm rockets would be transported to Ukraine via Turkey and Slovakia.
Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic has denied that the country has exported the missiles to Ukraine, but left open the possibility that they may have arrived there via a third party.
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“If private companies buy arms in third country markets and then sell them to other companies in other countries, this is not a problem for Serbia, this is international trade,” he said.
Serbia is Moscow’s closest ally in Europe, with historical, religious and cultural ties strengthened by decades of pro-Russian propaganda campaigns in the Balkan country.
Russia supports Serbia’s claim to its former province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008 with Western backing. And Serbia has refused to impose sanctions on Moscow for the invasion.
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Western officials fear Russia could use tensions in Kosovo to try to destabilize the Balkans and divert attention away from invading Ukraine.
