Serbian intelligence officers conducted tests on dogs using high-powered acoustic devices in cooperation with Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), according to government documents reviewed by Politico.
The tests took place weeks after an anti-government protest in Belgrade in March 2025 was disrupted by a loud noise that demonstrators said caused physical distress, raising allegations that authorities had deployed so-called sound cannons. The Serbian government has denied using such devices on protesters.
The documents indicate that Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) worked with Russian specialists to assess the effects of Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) on animals as part of an internal investigation into the incident.
LRADs are marketed for long-distance communication and crowd control. At close range, they can emit sound levels exceeding 140 decibels, which may cause hearing damage, dizziness and nausea, according to manufacturers’ data.
During the March 15 protest, videos posted online showed a sudden disturbance moving through a dense crowd in central Belgrade, prompting panic and dispersal. Some demonstrators later reported symptoms including headaches, nausea and disorientation.
President Aleksandar Vučić and Interior Minister Ivica Dačić initially rejected claims that sonic devices had been used. Vučić later said an investigation would be conducted, while the interior ministry said police had not deployed any illegal means.
According to the documents, Serbian and Russian personnel gathered dogs at a BIA testing site around two weeks after the protest to examine the “effects of emitters on biological objects.” The tests involved two LRAD models manufactured by U.S.-based company Genasys and were conducted at distances ranging from 25 to 200 metres.
The documents state that dogs were selected because of their sensitivity to acoustic stimuli. They also suggest the experiments may have been carried out without the legally required approvals.
Serbia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management said it had no record of approving any animal testing involving LRAD devices and had not received a request to do so, according to the documents.
Serbian law requires prior authorization for animal experiments and prohibits testing weapons or military equipment on animals.
A report commissioned by the BIA from the FSB concluded that the devices were not used during the protests and that the tests did not show signs of harm to the animals. The FSB said the dogs showed no behavioral changes during or after the experiments.
The interior ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
Opposition politicians and human rights lawyers criticised the tests, saying they raised legal and ethical concerns and were intended to deflect responsibility for the March protest incident.
Serbia is facing its largest wave of protests in decades, with demonstrations continuing across the country over allegations of corruption, governance failures and the handling of public dissent.