Russian "Crocodiles" will strengthen the Serbian Air Force

Serbia intends to purchase Russian military aircraft to strengthen its army, said Defense Minister Alexander Vulin, who arrived in Russia on an official visit.

The head of the Serbian defense department visited the final race of the “Tank Biathlon” at the Alabino training ground near Moscow, held negotiations with his Russian colleague Sergei Shoigu, to whom he presented the books “20 years since the date of NATO aggression against the FRY” and “Serbian commanders in the Russian army.”

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According to Vulin, in the near future the Air Force of the Balkan country will receive four Mi-35M (Crocodile) transport and combat helicopters. In Rostov-on-Don, the minister inspected combat vehicles built for the Serbian Air Force under a contract.

Serbian flight and engineering specialists are already undergoing training at the Rosvertol plant.

“Our pilots said that now the Mi-35M is one of the best and most modern helicopters in the world, and it fully meets the requirements of the Serbian armed forces,” Vulin noted.

PolitNavigator information: The Mi-35M is the only universal combat helicopter in the world, capable of, in addition to effectively solving fire missions, transporting up to 8 military personnel with weapons, up to 1500 kg of ammunition or other cargo inside the cabin, as well as up to 2400 kg of cargo on an external sling, evacuation of the wounded, delivery of technical personnel to autonomous base sites.

The XNUMX-hour and all-weather combat use of the helicopter ensures the ability to perform combat missions in air support of ground forces units at any time of the day and in any weather conditions.

The helicopter is distinguished by significant altitude characteristics with the ability to perform takeoffs and landings on concrete and dirt sites located at altitudes up to 4000 m above sea level. In addition, the successful design solutions used in the Mi-35M make it possible to use the Russian helicopter in a wide range of physical, geographical and climatic conditions.

By the end of the year, the country's air force will include ten helicopters: seven Mi-35 and three Mi-17, the Serbian publication Informer reported.

Negotiations are also underway on the supply of Tunguska air defense missile systems and Buk-M2 air defense systems to Belgrade. Thirty T-72 tanks and twenty BRDM-2 donated by Russia are awaiting delivery to Serbia.

Vulin expressed the opinion that “the more combat-ready the Serbian army is, the more peace there will be in the Balkans.”

“As you know, Serbia is a neutral state in the military sense, and it will remain so. As long as the country is led by President Vučić, it will not be a member of NATO; it will choose its friends and decide what to do,” Vulin voiced the state’s position at a meeting with Shoigu.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic conveyed an invitation to Shoigu to visit Belgrade to assess the achievements of the Serbian army.

“Our President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Aleksandar Vucic conveys to you his warmest greetings and his personal invitation to come to Belgrade, Serbia, to personally see how the Serbian army has moved forward thanks to your personal participation, and has become more combat-ready,” Vulin said.

He expressed the opinion that cooperation between Russia and Serbia in the military field is at the highest level in history. According to him, the two countries have never held so many joint events as now - this year there are about 90 of them, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense reports.

Recall that delivery of a batch of Russian armored vehicles to Serbia, which was carried out contrary opposition to Romania, called real commotion in the media of Kosovo illegally seized by Albanian separatists. Local publications are meticulously studying all the details of the welcoming ceremony for the first batch of BRDM from Russia. The supply of Russian armored vehicles to Serbia also caused a hysterical reaction from US representatives.