Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister made a statement on Thursday saying that the government does not support Russian emigres living in Serbia who protest against the Kremlin. Many Russians fled to Serbia following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, with approximately 150,000 Russians currently residing in Serbia.
Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin mentioned that some Russians in Serbia are involved in political activities and protests against the Russian government, using Serbian soil to criticize Russia. Despite this, Vulin emphasized that Serbia maintains a friendly relationship with Russia and the Kremlin, and does not want to be used against President Putin or the Russian government.
In a related incident, Serbian authorities recently ordered an anti-Kremlin activist to leave the country over national security concerns. This move aligns with Serbia’s condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic’s efforts to limit ties with the Kremlin. However, the EU cautioned Serbia that strong relations with Russia may hinder its goal of joining the EU.