Russian intelligence service claims Serbia is indirectly exporting weapons to Ukraine

The ammunition produced in defence factories in Serbia, mainly for long-range serious systems of action, is being sent to NATO member states in behalf of Ukraine, in the form of full assembly sets, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service media service has announced.

This allows Kiev to formally accept military industry equipment which, at that stage, are no longer Serb, as they are assembled at weapons factories in Western countries. Mounting and filling ammunition takes place mainly in Czechia and Bulgaria”, reportedly on the announcement of June 23rd, published on the official page of this Russian service.

The report adds that, according to data provided by Russian foreign intelligence, the Ukrainian “military is very grateful to Serbian arms and ammunition producers for their contribution to the preservation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' combat readiness”.

Also reportedly, according to these data, the <x0m>Krusik” factory from Valevo, west of Serbia, has sold several large series of sets for assembly of 122mm calibre missiles for the rocket system “Grad” to the Czech company “Policske Strojirny<5>. While the company “Eling”, according to the same source, has sent sets for the production of the same missiles, as well as 120mmm calibre mines, the Bulgarian company “EMCO”

The communique stresses that Serbian arms and military equipment producers “are aware of the true consumers of their products”.

Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, said on June 23rd that Serbia has banned arms exports. His statement comes at the height of the conflict between Israel and Iran. During a statement to reporters, Vucic also stopped on charges of export of ammunition to Ukraine.

We've just seen that (munition) is on display in Ukraine, both sides are complaining. And the only way to change this is to say: for a while, all the ammunition goes only to our military depot”, Vuciq said.

Accurate data on what kind of military weapons and equipment, and in what amount Serbia exports to Ukraine, Israel or other countries, are not publicly available. The relevant ministry has not published annual reports on export-based licenses, at least in recent years.

Responding to criticism of arms exports, Vuciq said he cares for the country's security, but also for defence industry workers, where the ammunition Serbia has exported abroad is produced.

This is not the first time Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service accuses Serbia of sending ammunition to Ukraine. In an earlier statement, 28 May, this service had confirmed that Serbia, “despite the officially declared neutrality”, continues with military shipments to Ukraine.

The reaction from Moscow comes after years of media reporting that Serbian weapons and ammunition end up in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers through third countries.

Officials in Belgrade have consistently denied that Serbia exports weapons directly to Ukraine or Russia, claiming that “do not have control of” over where the weapons sold by Serbia end after passing to other countries. /REL/ Periscope.