Less than a month after a surprisingly harsh statement by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accusing Serbia of “stabbing in the back” by exporting arms to Ukraine, Moscow issued a new warning.
The SVR press release expressed gratitude to Serbian arms factories for their “contribution to maintaining the combat capability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
Despite strong pressure from Moscow, the export of military products continues to increase in the conflict zone between the “collective West” and Russia, with ammunition produced in Serbia “assembled and equipped primarily in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria,” the statement added.
On the same day, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that exports of ammunition to Israel have been halted due to the recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East.
“We have stopped everything now. Any shipments must have special approval. Ammunition is going to our barracks and stockpiles,” Vučić told reporters.
Without naming other countries, Vučić questioned: “Are we exporting to EU countries? Where else should we export if not to the EU? Who is the permitted end user?”
“If we cannot export to Europe, Asia, America, Africa, then where? Antarctica?” Vučić asked.
Intelligence from Moscow accuses Serbia’s military industry of “shooting Russia in the back.”
Serbia, an EU candidate country, has not imposed sanctions on its traditional ally Russia, but it is widely known that Serbian shells and bullets reach Ukraine.
The Financial Times reported in June 2024 that the value of Serbian arms exports to Ukraine through intermediaries since the war began in 2022 is approximately €800 million.
Reuters published in April 2023 that Serbian weapons end up in Ukraine, citing U.S. documents.
Russian intelligence claims that ammunition produced by Serbian defense companies, mainly for heavy long-range systems, is sent to NATO countries on behalf of Ukraine in the form of complete assembly kits.
This allows Kyiv to formally avoid receiving Serbian military products directly, as the ammunition is assembled in Western weapons factories.
“The ammunition is assembled and equipped primarily in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. Meanwhile, Serbian manufacturers are well aware of the final consumers of their products and that their rockets and shells will kill Russian soldiers and residents of Russian settlements,” SVR stated.
The SVR highlighted the Valjevo-based factory Krušik, which, according to Russian intelligence, “sold several large batches of 122 mm rocket assembly kits for the Grad air defense system to the Czech company Poličské stroje.”
The Loznica-based defense industry factory “Eling” reportedly sent assembly kits for the same rockets, as well as 120 mm mines, to the Bulgarian company “EMKO,” according to Russian intelligence.
“For centuries, shared faith united the Serbian and Russian peoples in a common fight against our enemies.”
“It is sad that these traditions of friendship and mutual assistance are now being erased by a desire for profit and a cowardly balancing act,” the SVR statement concluded.
In May, Vučić met Russian President Vladimir Putin during a military parade in Moscow, and weeks later made his first official visit to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Vučić has repeatedly stated that Serbia does not sell weapons and equipment, but ammunition, and that the defense industry employs 24,000 workers.
Following Moscow’s warning, Krušik denied exporting to Ukraine.
In a written response to BBC Serbian, Krušik said it wants to focus on its registered business activities rather than fueling media speculation.
The 85-year-old state-owned arms factory confirmed it has never exported products to Ukraine and has no active contracts with Ukrainian buyers.
“Krušik will no longer comment on such questions or malicious remarks,” the company said.