A recently leaked classified Pentagon document suggests that Serbia, the sole European nation not to impose sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, consented to supply arms to Kyiv or has already done so. This potentially significant U.S. intelligence leak features dozens of classified documents that have surfaced online in recent weeks.
In a statement on Wednesday, Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic denied the intelligence report's claims, stating, "Serbia did not, nor will it be selling weapons to the Ukrainian nor the Russian side, nor to countries surrounding that conflict."
The Pentagon document, titled "Europe|Response to Ongoing Russia-Ukraine Conflict," outlines the assessed stances of 38 European governments concerning Ukraine's request for military assistance. According to the chart, Serbia declined to provide training for Ukrainian forces but had agreed to supply lethal aid or had already done so. The chart also indicated Serbia's political willingness and military capacity to furnish Ukraine with weapons in the future.
Marked as Secret and NOFORN, the document is dated March 2 and bears the seal of the Joint Chiefs of Staff office. Its authenticity could not be independently confirmed by Reuters.
Vucevic acknowledged the possibility of Serbia-produced weapons and ordnance "magically appear[ing]" in the conflict, but insisted that "that has absolutely nothing to do with Serbia."
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's administration has claimed neutrality in the Ukraine war, despite the nation's longstanding economic, historical, and cultural ties to Russia. Janusz Bugajski, an Eastern European specialist at the Jamestown Foundation, a foreign policy institute, commented, "If this document is accurate, it either shows Vucic's duplicity vis a vis Russia or he's under enormous pressure from Washington to deliver weapons to Ukraine."
The Justice Department is currently investigating the leak, while the Pentagon evaluates the potential damage to U.S. national security. The Pentagon has yet to comment on the document's reference to Serbia and has declined to comment on any leaked documents thus far.
The leaked chart's disclosure follows the release of documents on a pro-Russia Telegram messaging app channel last month, allegedly demonstrating the delivery of 122mm Grad ground-to-ground rockets from a Serbian arms manufacturer to Kyiv in November.
