Vucic: Russian Weapons to Significantly Boost Serbian Defense Capability

BELGRADE (Sputnik) – Serbia needs deliveries of Russian weapons in order to significantly boost its defense capability, country’s President Aleksandar Vucic told Sputnik in an interview.

“We wait for the visit of [Russian Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu as well as arrival of tanks and reconnaissance vehicles. That is very important for us … Our defense capability will significantly increase within a day,” Vucic said.

The president pointed out that Serbia needed to boost its defense capability in order to prevent foreign invasions as it happened in 1999 when the country was bombed by a coalition of western states.

“Today we have three or four MiG-29 jets and there are no better planes for a close combat. When we equip our army with radars and air defense systems, the citizens will feel safe. Concerning the military industry, unfortunately wars are being waged everywhere and in the next 20 years we will be able to sell everything we will produce,” Vucic said.

In December, then-prime minister Vucic announced that Serbia was planning to receive six MiG-29 fighter jets, as well as 30 T-72S tanks and 30 BRDM-2 armored scout vehicles as part of a Russian military aid package.