Russia’s ally Serbia received a delivery of a sophisticated Chinese anti-aircraft system this weekend as part of a covert operation amid Western fears that the accumulation of weapons in the Balkans during the war in Ukraine could threaten fragile peace in the region, the Associated Press reported.
Media and military experts reported today that six Chinese Air Force Y-20 transport planes landed at Belgrade’s civilian airport early Saturday, believed to have delivered HQ-22 surface-to-air missile systems to the Serbian military.
Chinese military-marked cargo planes were filmed at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport.
The Serbian Ministry of Defense has not yet responded to the AP’s request for comment.
The supply of weapons over the territory of at least two NATO member states – Turkey and Bulgaria – is seen by experts as a demonstration of China’s growing global reach, the agency said.
The advent of the Y-20 came as a surprise because they flew in a group rather than a series of single flights. The presence of the Y-20 in Europe in any number is also a relatively new phenomenon, writes the online magazine The Warzone.
Serbian military analyst Alexander Radic said “the Chinese have demonstrated force.”
Serbian President Alexander Vucic has almost confirmed the agreed delivery of the medium-range system in 2019, saying on Saturday that he would present the “latest pride” of the Serbian army on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Earlier, he complained that NATO countries, which make up most of Serbia’s neighbors, have refused to allow supply system flights over their territories amid tensions over Russian aggression in Ukraine.
Although Serbia voted in favor of UN resolutions condemning Russia’s bloody attacks on Ukraine, it has refused to join international sanctions against its allies in Moscow or openly criticize apparent atrocities committed by Russian troops there.
As early as 2020, US officials warned Belgrade not to buy HQ-22 anti-aircraft systems, the export version of which is known as FK-3.
They said that if Serbia really wants to join the European Union and other Western alliances, it must bring its military equipment in line with Western standards.
The Chinese missile system is widely compared to the American Patriot and the Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, although it has a shorter range than the more advanced S-300. Serbia will be the first Chinese missile operator in Europe.
In 2020, it received a supply of Chengdu Pterodactyl-1 drones, known in China as Wing Loong.
Combat drones can strike targets with bombs and missiles and can be used for reconnaissance missions.
There are fears in the West that arming Serbia from Russia and China could push the Balkans to a new war, especially against its former province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008. Serbia, Russia and China do not recognize Kosovo as a state until the United States and most western states in recognize.
