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Serbia on Saturday publicly displayed a lately delivered Chinese language anti-aircraft missile system, elevating issues within the West and amongst a few of Serbia’s neighbours that an arms buildup within the Balkans might threaten fragile peace within the area.
The subtle HQ-22 surface-to-air system was delivered final month by a dozen Chinese language Air Drive Y-20 transport planes in what was believed to be the largest-ever airlift supply of Chinese language arms to Europe.
Though Serbia formally seeks membership within the European Union, it has been arming itself largely with Russian and Chinese language weapons, together with T-72 battle tanks, MiG-29 fighter jets, Mi-35 assault helicopters and drones.
Again in 2020, US officers warned Belgrade in opposition to buying HQ-22 missile programs, whose export model is named FK-3.
They stated that if Serbia actually needs to affix the EU and different Western alliances, it should align its navy tools with Western requirements.
The Chinese language missile system has been broadly in comparison with the American Patriot and the Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile programs though it has a shorter vary than extra superior S-300s.
Serbia is the primary operator of the Chinese language missiles in Europe.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated on the finish of the arms show at a navy airport close to Belgrade that the Chinese language missiles, in addition to different lately delivered navy {hardware}, should not a menace to anybody and solely signify a “highly effective deterrent” in opposition to potential attackers.
“We’ll now not enable to be a punching bag for anybody,” Vucic stated, apparently referring to NATO’s 78-day bombardment of Serbia for its bloody crackdown in opposition to Kosovo Albanian separatists in 1999.
Serbia, which was at battle with its neighbours within the Nineteen Nineties, doesn’t recognise Kosovo’s independence declared in 2008. It nonetheless has frosty relations with NATO-members Croatia and Montenegro in addition to Bosnia, whose separatist Bosnian Serb chief Milorad Dodik attended the navy drill on Saturday.
Vucic stated Serbia can be negotiating a purchase order of French multi-purpose Dessault Rafale jets, in addition to British Eurofighter Hurricane fighters.
He stated that solely “political hurdles” might forestall the acquisition of the Western plane.
There are widespread issues that Russia might push its ally Serbia into an armed battle with its neighbours to strive at the least partly to shift public consideration from the battle in Ukraine.
Though Serbia has voted in favour of UN resolutions that condemn the bloody Russian assaults in Ukraine, it has refused to affix worldwide sanctions in opposition to its allies in Moscow or outright criticise the obvious atrocities dedicated by the Russian troops in Ukraine.
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