Appointment of pro-Russian Aleksander Volin as head of Serbian intelligence

On Thursday, the Serbian government appointed Alexander Volin, a pro-Russian and close associate of President Alexander Vucic, as head of Serbian intelligence, state television announced.

Aleksandar Vulin, 50, a former defense and interior minister, is known for his nationalist statements that often caused diplomatic problems with Serbia’s neighbors.

He is also one of the few foreign officials who visited Moscow after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In August, he met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and assured him that Belgrade would not impose sanctions on Russia. Before his visit to Moscow, he declared that Serbia “will not be part of the anti-Russian hysteria.”

Serbia condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the United Nations, but refused to join Western sanctions against Moscow.

Volyn, who fully supports President Aleksandar Vucic, supported the idea of ​​creating a “Serb world” bringing together Serbs living in different countries. Critics of this idea assert that it is similar to the idea of ​​the “Russian world” put forward by Moscow.

Serbia, a candidate country to join the European Union since 2012, maintains close relations with Moscow. being completely dependent on it to secure its gas supplies.

Belgrade can count on Russia’s support in the UN Security Council on Kosovo; Former province whose declared independence was not recognized by Serbia in 2008.