Members of the public and the media were invited to the exhibition at Batajnica military airport near Belgrade, where Chinese and French missiles were lined up next to Airbus helicopters, drones armed with Chinese aircraft and Russian MIG-29 aircraft. Serbia is trying to balance its co-operation with NATO and its aspirations to join the European Union with its religious, national and political alliance with Russia. The Chinese FK-3 ground-to-air defense system, similar to the Russian S-300 or US Patriot system, was purchased by Belgrade in 2019 and delivered earlier this month. Serbia is currently the only European country to operate the Chinese missile system and CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicles. President Aleksandar Vuτςiτς toured Saturday’s exhibition accompanied by military commanders and watched a stunt show of refurbished MIG-29 aircraft donated by Russia in 2017. “I’m proud of the Serbian army, I’m proud of a great progress,” he said. at a press conference. “We will significantly strengthen our air force … Serbia is a neutral country and Serbia must find solutions that will allow it to maintain its skies and state.” The delivery of the FK-3 missile system prompted many Western countries, including Germany, to warn Belgrade that it expected the Balkan country to align its foreign policy with the EU if it wanted to join. Belgrade has voted against Russia three times at the United Nations, but does not impose sanctions on it. Serbia’s army is loosely based on former Soviet technology, and Russia is one of its main suppliers. Belgrade is also dependent on gas and oil supplies from Russia. Vucic said Serbia expects to buy 12 Rafale multi-role fighter jets from France by the end of the year or early next year, a move seen by political analysts as a sign of Belgrade’s departure from Russia. He said Serbia was also in talks to buy 12 Typhoon fighter jets from Britain. (Report by Reuters TV and Daria Sito-Sucic; Written by Aleksandar Vasovic; Edited by Helen Popper)
title: “Serbia Demonstrates New Chinese Missiles In Military Demonstration Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-06” author: “Benjamin Daschofsky”
Members of the public and the media were invited to the exhibition at Batajnica Military Airport near Belgrade, where Chinese and French missiles were lined up next to Airbus (AIR.PA) helicopters, drones armed with Chinese aircraft and Russian M-29 aircraft. Serbia is trying to balance its co-operation with NATO and its aspirations to join the European Union with its religious, national and political alliance with Russia. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register The Chinese FK-3 ground-to-air defense system, similar to the Russian S-300 or US Patriot system, was purchased by Belgrade in 2019 and delivered earlier this month. Serbia is currently the only European country to operate the Chinese missile system and CH-92A unmanned aerial vehicles. President Aleksandar Vuτςiτς toured Saturday’s exhibition accompanied by military commanders and watched a stunt show with refurbished MIG-29 aircraft donated by Russia in 2017. “I am proud of the Serbian army, I am proud of a great progress,” Vucic told a news conference. “We will significantly strengthen our air force … Serbia is a neutral country and Serbia must find solutions that will allow it to maintain its skies and state.” The delivery of the FK-3 missile system prompted many Western countries, including Germany, to warn Belgrade that it expected the Balkan country to align its foreign policy with the EU if it wanted to join. Belgrade has voted against Russia three times at the United Nations, but does not impose sanctions on it. Serbia’s army is loosely based on former Soviet technology, and Russia is one of its main suppliers. Belgrade is also dependent on gas and oil supplies from Russia. Vucic said Serbia expects to buy 12 Rafale multi-role fighter jets from France by the end of the year or early next year, a move seen by political analysts as a sign of Belgrade’s departure from Russia. He said Serbia was also in talks to buy 12 Typhoon fighter jets from Britain. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Reportage by Reuters TV and Daria Sito-Sucic By Aleksandar Vasovic Edited by: Helen Popper Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
