The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation announced on May 29 that defense enterprises in Serbia continue to supply ammunition to Ukraine. According to representatives of Russian intelligence, these supplies occur despite Belgrade’s declared policy of neutrality regarding the war in Ukraine.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Volumes of supplies and export schemes
In a press release titled “Serbian military industry attempts to shoot Russia in the back,” it is stated that the Serbian military-industrial complex allegedly supplied “hundreds of thousands of shells for multiple launch rocket systems and howitzers, as well as a million rounds for small arms.” The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service claims that these supplies are carried out using forged end-user certificates and involve intermediary countries, including the Czech Republic, Poland, and Bulgaria.
The Russian side asserts that the main purpose of such supplies is to support Ukrainian forces in their confrontation with the Russian army.
Belgrade’s reaction and economic aspect
In June 2024, the Financial Times reported that the export of ammunition from Serbia, which subsequently ended up in Ukraine through third countries, was estimated at approximately 800 million euros. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić did not deny the fact of the supplies and confirmed the stated amount, emphasizing that the export of ammunition is an important component of the country’s economic growth.
“Yes, we export our ammunition. We cannot export them to Ukraine or Russia. But we have had many contracts with Americans, Spaniards, Czechs, and others. What they ultimately do with it is their business,” Vučić noted in a comment to the Financial Times.
Additionally, Russian intelligence separately pointed out a list of Serbian defense companies that, in its opinion, are related to the supply of weapons to Ukraine.