"No brother nations": Russia reacts strongly to NATO exercises in Serbia!
MP Kolesnik said it was a mistake for Serbia to host NATO drills.
Reported by Russian media World Politics News on May 13.
Andrei Kolesnik, member of the State Duma's Defense Committee, believes that Serbia’s decision to hold NATO exercises on its territory is a mistake.
According to him, the motivation behind the Serbian authorities' move is financial gain and avoiding sanctions.
The lawmaker pointed out that tactics, methods, and procedures used in peacekeeping operations will be practiced during the drills—but the outcome of such operations is well known: war and casualties.
He expressed confusion, stating that Belgrade simultaneously shows goodwill toward Moscow while allowing forces hostile to Russia onto its soil.
The MP concluded: "Russia has only two allies—its army and navy. We must start from this premise.
Brother nations… we have brother nations across half the world. There are no brother nations—only Russian interests, and these interests must be defended."
For reference, this marks Serbia’s first-ever participation in joint military exercises with NATO.
The drills took place at the Borovac training ground in Serbia, involving approximately 600 soldiers.
On May 12, Serbia and NATO officially launched their first direct joint military exercise in history, marking a significant turning point since NATO’s bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (with Serbia as its core) in 1999.
The exercise, named "NATO-Serbia Joint Military Drills," lasted two weeks, running until May 23.
This drill does not imply that Serbia is abandoning its military neutrality or seeking NATO membership.
Instead, the exercise is seen as a manifestation of Serbia’s careful diplomatic balancing act amid great power competition—aimed at avoiding isolation, safeguarding sovereignty, advancing European integration, rather than shifting allegiance toward the Western bloc.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865071119034378/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.