Zelensky in Serbia

"President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Serbia, the first by a Ukrainian head of state since 2018, could mark a new chapter in relations between the two countries. It also raised questions about what each side hopes to gain.

What is Kyiv trying to achieve by deepening ties with Serbia, one of the few countries in Europe, alongside Turkey and Russian ally Belarus, that has not imposed sanctions on Russia? And what does Belgrade, still heavily dependent on Moscow for energy supplies, stand to gain by welcoming the Ukrainian leader?
"We did not discuss any form of military cooperation. What happens once the war is over is another matter," Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at a joint press conference with Zelensky. Serbia's leader is often portrayed as a politician sitting on two chairs, carefully balancing between East and West." KI

Serbia thwarts plot to bomb Russia-Hungary gas pipeline

"The Serbian authorities have discovered explosives of “devastating power” planted near a key gas pipeline transporting Russian energy to Hungary, President Aleksandar Vucic has announced, adding that he has briefed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the matter. This comes after Ukraine essentially shut down Russian oil supplies to Hungary through its territory.
Speaking to reporters, Vucic said “two large packages of explosives with sticks” were found in the municipality of Kanjiza, around 10 km from the Hungarian border." RT

Serbian Helicopter Joins Fight Against 'Catastrophic' Montenegro Wildfires

"A Kamov firefighting helicopter, operated by Serbia's Ministry of the Interior, has joined relief efforts to battle raging wildfires in Montenegro. The helicopter has dropped 248 tonnes of water on blazes near Podgorica, as a senior official described the situation as "catastrophic" with evacuations underway." IndiaTimes

Storm destroys buildings across Serbia & Bosnia

"The powerful storm that hit the southern region of Brčko District today left enormous
material damage, especially in densely populated areas such as Maoča and the surrounding villages." EW

Serbian opposition throwing smoke grenades in parliament

"A session of Serbia’s parliament briefly descended into chaos on Tuesday when opposition

MPs set off smoke grenades and tear gas to protest against the government, causing serious injuries.
As the spring session kicked off on Tuesday, tensions flared when the ruling coalition, led by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), approved the legislative agenda. Some opposition politicians rushed from their seats toward the speaker’s chair, resulting in a scuffle with security guards." RT

Serbian President Mistakenly Voted Against Russia on Ukraine Resolution Because He Was ‘Tired’

"Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Monday he “mistakenly” backed a United Nations (U.N.) resolution that condemned Russia for launching the war against Ukraine. Vucic said he actually wanted Serbia’s U.N. delegation to abstain from the vote.

The highly contentious U.N. resolution led to a showdown between the Trump administration and Europe, as the latter insisted on formally condemning Russia for starting the war, while the U.S. introduced a competing resolution calling for immediate peace in Ukraine without assigning blame for the conflict.
The resolution in the U.N. General Assembly to condemn Russia for starting the war passed on Monday by a vote of 93-18. The U.S. was one of the 18 nations to vote against the resolution. Serbia, which has friendly relations with Moscow and opposes sanctions on Russia, surprised U.N.-watchers by voting in favor." Breitbart

Serbian President offers Belgrade as venue for Trump-Putin meeting

"Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has announced that he will officially propose his country as the venue for the anticipated meeting between US President-elect Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin." NV

Russia, Serbia Discuss Security Threats Related to Military Supplies

"Russia and Serbia are discussing potential security threats related to military supplies,

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Sputnik, commenting on media reports about the export of Serbian ammunition to Kiev.
"Exchanging assessments of security threats is an integral part of the political dialogue between Russia and Serbia. Of course, this also concerns issues of military supplies," Grushko said.
On Sunday, the Financial Times newspaper reported that Ukraine could have received ammunition from Serbia via third countries worth about 800 million euros ($858 million) since the beginning of the Russian special military operation.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic dismissed the claims made by the Financial Times, stating that the weapons were sold to other countries with which Serbia has contracts. " Sputnik

Serbia riots

"Riot in Belgrade, which saw sympathizers of the ‘pro-Western democratic civic opposition’

try to break into City Hall and declare themselves winners of the recent municipal election.....At least 2,000 protesters gathered outside the building known as the Old Palace, smashed its glass doors, and attempted to force their way inside. Riot police held the line, used teargas to push them back, and then batons to disperse the mob. What the opposition claimed had happened, however, was that they were just peacefully protesting a “stolen” election against a “tyrannical” regime, which had the police break the doors so it would have an excuse to engage in brutality.
Obviously, the protesters didn’t get the memo from Our Democracy – meaning the US – dated January 6, 2021, and spelling out that any questioning of electoral results makes one a criminally liable “denier,” while smashing the doors of a government building amounts to a “deadly insurrection” allowing the police to indiscriminately use deadly force." RT

Kosovo Asks for NATO Peacekeeper Force Buildup on Border with Serbia

"Kosovo’s prime minister asked NATO-led peacekeepers to increase their presence on the

northern border with Serbia, saying the area was the entry point for illegal weapons and threats to stability.
30 Serb gunmen crossed into northern Kosovo, killing a police officer and setting up barricades, before launching an hours-long gun battle with Kosovo police. Three gunmen were killed." Savage.com

Serbian President Denies Military Buildup on Border with Kosovo After Deadly Gun Battle

"Serbia’s president denied U.S. and other reports of a military buildup along the border with

Kosovo, complaining of a “campaign of lies” against his country in the wake of a shootout a week earlier that killed four people and fueled tensions in the volatile Balkan region. Tensions have soared following the violence in northern Kosovo last Sunday involving heavily armed Serb gunmen and Kosovo police officers. The clash was one of the worst since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and prompted NATO to announce it would beef up a peacekeeping force stationed in the country." Breitbart

Situation in Kosovo resembles Ukraine

"The ongoing standoff in Kosovo bears an uncanny resemblance to the Donbass crisis,
Russia's envoy to Belgrade Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko told Rossiya 24 TV channeL.

“The whole situation, everything, including Pristina’s attitude towards the Kosovo Serbs, resembles, although on a smaller scale, what has happened and is still happening in Ukraine,” the diplomat said. The West is also treating the ethnic Albanian government in Kosovo the same way it has Kiev, he argued. 

Comparing the Donbass crisis to tensions in Kosovo, the ambassador added that “Pristina’s desire … to take control over all of Kosovo, including the regions inhabited by Serbs, at all cost” is what “lies at the heart” of this standoff. Any further escalation would lead to more drastic consequences, Botsan-Kharchenko warned." RT

Risk of military conflict is real – Serbia

"Kosovo is challenging Serbia’s security and creating the risk of violent clashes in the region,
President Alexander Vucic warned while addressing the national parliament.

Vucic accused Kosovo authorities of exacerbating tensions on the territory’s border with Serbia by increasing the presence of special forces." RT

Serbia refused the military base of the Russian Federation on its territory

"Serbia refused to place a Russian military base on its territory. But Belgrade decided to move towards expanding cooperation with NATO." UT

Ukrainian cargo plane crashes over Greece: Residents were 'hearing explosions' for hours

"A cargo plane operated by a Ukrainian carrier has crashed in Northern Greece, officials said.

Greece’s Civil Aviation authorities said residents of Kavala, Greece heard loud explosions and saw a fireball in the sky after an Antonov cargo plane heading from Serbia to Jordan went down on Saturday.

The Greek aviation authorities just before the crash they made contact with the pilot, who reported a problem in one of the plane's engines and requested an emergency landing." FOX

 

Resurfaced Video Shows Biden Confessing He Proposed Bombing of Belgrade in NATO Op in Yugoslavia

 "Joe Biden labelled President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal" over Russia’s operation to
demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, launched on 24 February to defend the predominantly Russian-speaking people of the two breakaways, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR, LPR), against deadly offensive attacks by the Kiev regime.

A video has resurfaced on social media, where then-senator Joe Biden, speaking at a Senate Foreign Affairs Committee meeting in 1998, say he suggested bombing the peaceful city of Belgrade and sending American pilots to destroy all the bridges on the Danube in 1999.

The head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, reposted the footage on his social media account, reminding the current US President of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia that is estimated to have killed about 2,500 people, including 89 children." Sputnik

 

Serbian Pro-Regime Media Praise Russia ‘Overrunning’ Ukraine

"Newspapers that support the Serbian government hailed the Russian invasion of Ukraine on
their front pages on Friday, 24 hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his military assault. 

Informer and Alo led with front-page headlines claiming that Russia “reached Kyiv in a day”, while Objektiv’s headline said “Russians overrun Ukraine in a day”.

Vecernje Novosti‘s main headline was “Russian coup in response to NATO threats”.

Sprski Telegraf printed headline that “Putin is preparing ‘Satan’ [Russian R-36 intercontinental ballistic missile] for Europe” together with a photo of the Russian president in military uniform.

Politika led with “State of war in Ukraine”, saying that “Putin approved an operation ‘of demilitarisation and denazification'” and quoting only Russian sources about the ongoing war. Russian officials have often accused the Ukrainian government of Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, of being fascist.

Meanwhile Danas and Nova, which are seen as critical of the government, mostly reported on Serbian officials’ silence about the Russian attack on Ukraine." BalkanTimes