Serbian Armed Forces

BELGRADE - The Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) are making progress in terms of equipment and technology as new MiG jets have been acquired and acquisition of new helicopters will follow, while work on development of anti-aircraft defence is already under way, Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin said on Friday.

SREMSKA MITROVICA - Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin said it was unclear why the US embassy in Belgrade had denied Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff Gen Ljubisa Dikovic a visa for a trip to Washington for an October conference on fighting violent extremist organisations.

BELGRADE - The Serbian Armed Forces will continue to acquire new equipment, in particular in departments worst hit by the NATO aggression, says Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin, noting that the addition of six Russian MiG-29 jets had made the Serbian air force not only powerful, but probably one of the strongest in the region.

BELGRADE, - The Serbian Armed Forces are now strong enough to act as a deterrent and few can even think about attacking Serbia without paying a very high price for it, Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin said Monday.

BELGRADE - All eight Serbian Armed Forces troops serving in the MONUSCO peacekeeping mission in DR Congo are safe and performing their duties normally, the Serbian Ministry of Defence said in the wake of Friday's attack on the UN mission, in which at least 14 peacekeepers were killed and another 53 wounded.

BELGRADE - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday announced the adoption of a new military doctrine, noting the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) were stable and strong enough to defend and protect the country and its citizens at any time.

Defense Ministry and Serbian Army members are participating in ten peacekeeping missions, under the command of the UN and the EU, says Aleksandar Vulin.

The Serbian defense minister added that it was "time for Serbia to start considering participation in civilian missions next year."

The Serbian Army (VS) will soon join another UN mission in the Middle East, the Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday, Beta reported, citing a statement.

Lieutenant Colonel Stevan Raseta will serve as a military observer in the UNDOF mission, established by a UN Security Council resolution in 1974 in order to separate Syrian and Israeli armed forces during Arab-Israeli wars.

Russia began delivering a gift of six MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia this week, in a move that could raise tensions between the EU candidate country and its neighbours in the Balkans.
Moscow is giving the secondhand jets to Serbia for free, but they are arriving disassembled and Belgrade will have to pay close to €200 million to rebuild them.

Ana Brnabic told the Summit of the US-Adriatic Charter (A5) in Podgorica that Serbia is a military neutral country, committed to cooperating with all partners.