The announcement follows accusations from Moscow that Belgrade is secretly supplying munitions to Ukraine
Serbia has temporarily halted all ammunition exports and will focus on replenishing its domestic stockpiles, President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Monday. The move comes in response to Russian accusations that Belgrade has been secretly supplying arms to Ukraine.
The president made the remarks following a meeting of the extended board of Serbia’s General Staff. Speaking to local media, Vucic said the country has “now stopped literally everything and [is]sending it to our army.”
Belgrade is seeking new markets for its military production, Vučić noted, adding that he would not deprive some 150,000 Serbs – military plant workers and their families – of their livelihoods. However, Serbia will tighten its export rules, and any overseas shipments will now require special approval, he said.
“It will no longer be the case that permission is given by two ministers and the goods flow smoothly. We’ll see what will happen in the future in accordance with the interests of Serbia,” Vucic stressed.
The announcement came after Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused Serbia of covertly sending munitions to Ukraine, despite Belgrade’s assertion of neutrality in the conflict and traditionally strong ties with Moscow.
“The ammunition produced at Serbian defense plants, primarily for heavy long-range systems, is sent to NATO countries in the interests of Ukraine in the form of full assembly kits. This allows Kiev to formally receive military products that are no longer Serbian but assembled at defense factories in Western countries,” the SVR said.
A similar accusation was made by the SVR in late May, when the agency alleged that Serbian companies had covertly supplied around 100,000 munitions for multiple rocket launchers and one million small arms rounds to Ukraine. The ammunition was reportedly funneled through various countries and accompanied by falsified end-user certificates.
At the time, Vučić denied the existence of any direct contracts with Kiev, noting that Serbian law prohibits arms sales to countries at war. He blamed third countries for possibly redirecting shipments to Ukraine and pledged to crack down on any attempts to circumvent Serbia’s export restrictions.
