Vucic Calls on Wagner Group to Stop Recruiting Serbs to Fight in Ukraine

The efforts to recruit Serbs to participate in military operations in Ukraine as part of the Wagner Group must cease, declared Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic during a broadcast on the Belgrade-based Happy television channel. His remarks were quoted by Reuters.

Vucic criticized Russian websites and social media groups for posting advertisements in Serbian, encouraging volunteers to join the Wagner group.

According to Reuters, Serbian volunteers have participated in battles in Ukraine with pro-Russian forces in 2014 and 2015. The exact number of volunteers is unknown, but observers speak of "dozens of Serbs" reportedly having registered to fight in Ukraine since 2014.

Serbian legislation prohibits citizens from participating in foreign military conflicts, and several individuals have been prosecuted for this violation.

Vucic stated that the Wagner Group does not operate in Serbia as it contradicts national legislation. On Tuesday, RIA Novosti released a video titled "First Volunteers from Serbia Begin Combat Training in Zaporizhzhia Region," featuring two masked men identified as "Serbian volunteers."