The Russian mercenary group Wagner advertises in Serbian and on Serbian TV for volunteers for the war in Ukraine.
Serbian and pro-Ukrainian activists filed criminal charges against the Wagner paramilitary group and its supporters on Thursday. They accuse the Russian mercenary force of recruiting Serbian nationals for the war in Ukraine, which is illegal.
Explosive: In addition to the Russian ambassador to Serbia, Alexander Botsan-Kharchenkothe head of the Serbian secret service BIA is also among the suspects.
Footage from the Russian news agency Ria Novosti shows two Serb volunteers allegedly taking part in Wagner weapons training in Ukraine. screenshot RT
Against Aleksandar Vulin there is a reasonable suspicion: he “gave orders, directives and directives according to which the activities of the Wagner group in Serbia should not be impeded”, says a lawyer and civil activist Cedomir Stojkovic.
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Lawyer Stojkovic explained that due to diplomatic immunity in Serbia, Botsan-Kharchenko could not be prosecuted, but could be expelled from the country. Once a criminal complaint is filed, the Public Ministry decides whether or not to initiate the process.
Serbian volunteers between 22 and 50 years old
Earlier this week, footage from Russian news agency Ria Nowosti in Serbia showed two Serbian volunteers allegedly taking part in Wagner weapons training in Ukraine. It was also noted that Wagner’s skull and crossbones emblem was suddenly plastered on a wall in Belgrade’s city center.
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Earlier, Wagner’s ad aired by Russian state broadcaster RT this month in Serbia caused outrage. In it, the Russian mercenary force called on Serbian volunteers aged between 22 and 50 to fight in Ukraine and offered high wages and training, health and prospective life insurance.
“Why are you doing this to Serbia?”
“Why are you doing this to Serbia? Why are you calling on von Wagner to do this, even if it’s against regulations?” the Serbian president replied. Aleksandar Vucic in a nationally broadcast television interview.
Vucic’s comments are seen as a rare criticism of Russia by the Serbian president. Moscow is a close ally of the Balkan country, which, along with Belarus, is the only European country not to support Western sanctions against Russia.
At the same time, Vucic condemned the invasion: “For us, Crimea is Ukraine, Donbass is Ukraine, and it will stay that way”, he clarified again this week – see the video above.
Two dozen convictions for “fighting on foreign fronts”
Many Serbs support the Russian attack on Ukraine, which is also reflected in pro-Russian demonstrations in Belgrade. Serb volunteers and mercenaries have been fighting alongside pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine since 2014.
Authorities have yet to release a figure, but according to the BBC, Serbian courts have convicted more than two dozen people of having taken part in “combat on foreign fronts”.
“to put an end to their activities”
A US State Department adviser has expressed concern about the activities of the Russian private military company and its recruitment attempts. “We see that the Wagner group is trying to recruit soldiers from Serbia and other countries,” Derek Chollet said after meeting the Serbian president.
This cannot be tolerated: “We look forward to working with the government here in Belgrade and elsewhere where Wagner operates to close down his activities.”
Browsing account 20 minutes, time dob 21.01.2023, 07:22 | Act: 01/21/2023, 07:22