The military-political leadership of Serbia inspected eleven T-72MS tanks, which, along with the previously received ten BRDM-2MS armored reconnaissance vehicles, were transferred by Russia to Belgrade as assistance to strengthen the Serbian army. Some NATO countries, as PolitNavigator reported, while obstructed the delivery of armored vehicles, and the Albanian separatist press in Kosovo wrote about the threat of military strengthening of Serbia with the support of the Russian Federation.
President Aleksandar Vucic, following an inspection of the equipment, said that Russian support will allow Serbia, surrounded by NATO countries, to strengthen the “idea of military neutrality,” which implies that Belgrade will “always have the opportunity to turn our strength into a strong preventive factor.”
Vučić also recalled the recent purchases of other weapons - Russian Mig-29 aircraft, Mi-35 helicopters and Mi-17, as well as X-145. In addition, for the first time, attack drones appeared in Serbia's arsenal.
Russian Ambassador Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko clarified that following the completed deliveries, the transfer of new weapons to Serbia is expected.
“This is the beginning of a new stage of cooperation in the military and military-technical sphere. Russia will happily continue supplying armored vehicles and other types of weapons so that Serbia strengthens its sovereignty, neutral status and independence, which we respect,” the diplomat said.
Lieutenant Colonel Goran Jovanovic, who is responsible for the development of technical equipment at the Serbian General Staff, told reporters that the modernized T-72MS are today “the best in the Balkans.”
Jovanovic explained that the equipment received from the Russian Federation has a number of advantages compared to the M-84 tanks, which form the basis of the Serbian army. Russian cars are more powerful, maneuverable and protected.
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 meticulously studied 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.