Russia Military Deal Deemed 'Good Thing' For Serbia

A Serbian military expert said the new delivery of Russian aircraft and other military equipment was a good deal for Serbia, as its equipment dates back from the time of the Yugoslav People's Army, JNA, and needs renewing.

"I would like to see, instead of ad hoc decisions on buying weapons, long-term strategies on how Serbian Army will develop, with rejuvenation of soldiers as a priority," Vlade Radulovic, director of the Atlantic Council of Serbia, in Belgrade, told BIRN.

Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin agreed with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoygu on the procurement of the new weapons this week in Moscow.

Russia's agency Tass said the two officials discussed the delivery of Mi-17 transport helicopters, T-72 tanks, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles and other military hardware.

"We talked about acquiring four Mi-17 transport helicopters and four Mi-35 attack helicopters. We also discussed the future of our military and technical cooperation, further improvement and modernization of MiG fighter jets, the purchase and delivery of T-72 tanks and BMP-2 vehicles, as well as other types of military hardware," Vulin said, Tass agency reported.

On March 20, the Serbian minister told the media that two Antonov An-26 transport planes will be also delivered to Serbia as part of a military-technical agreement reached between the presidents of Russia and Serbia.

Radulovic said that although many will argue that Serbia is having an "arms race" with its neighbours, which are also buying military equipment, he says Serbia is only "renewing equipment ... because it dates way back from the time of the JNA [disbanded in 1992]".

This is not the first time Serbia has bought military equipment from Russia....