EditWho is destabilising whom? Evidence points at Russian intelligence and Serbia’s UDBA
Recent events have drawn renewed attention to Milan Radoičić, a controversial figure and political ally of Aleksandar Vučić
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has repeatedly accused Western powers of fomenting a “color revolution” aimed at destabilising Serbia. However, a detailed investigation by Belgrade-based magazine Vreme reveals a different picture: Russian intelligence, in collaboration with elements of Serbia’s State Security Service (UDBA), is orchestrating efforts to undermine governments in countries on their way to European Union membership, as well as current EU members.
Serbian police operations expose foreign interference
Two significant police operations in Serbia in late September have uncovered evidence of foreign intelligence activities on Serbian soil, raising alarms about Serbia’s vulnerability to external manipulation.
Operation in Sunčana Dolina
Serbian authorities arrested on 26 September a group in Sunčana Dolina, near Loznica on the Drina River, accused of training Moldovan citizens for disruptive actions timed to coincide with Moldova’s election on 28 September.
Moldova, a candidate for EU membership, was the apparent target of these actions, which aimed to destabilize its electoral process. The operation involved two Serbian nationals, L.P. and S.S., who allegedly organized combat-tactical training for 150–170 Moldovan and Romanian citizens between 16 July and 12 September. The training took place near Loznica, equipping participants to resist Moldovan police during potential election-related unrest.
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Authorities seized laptops, mobile phones, a radio-frequency detection device, and an illegally possessed firearm. The Serbian Ministry of Justice has requested evidence from Moldova to advance the investigation, highlighting the international scope of the operation.
Operation in Paris and Berlin
Three days later, on 29 September Serbian police, in coordination with the Security Information Agency (BIA), arrested 11 Serbian citizens suspected of working under the direction of a foreign intelligence agency.
Operating in Paris and Berlin from April to September, this group engaged in provocative acts to incite interethnic and interreligious tensions. Their activities included vandalizing the Holocaust Museum, synagogues, and a Jewish restaurant with green paint, as well as placing pig heads near Muslim religious sites and displaying inflammatory messages near landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate.
These incidents, reported by media from Moldova to London, have sparked an international scandal. However, the muted response from Belgrade and the lack of a unified EU statement raise questions about the political will to address such provocations.
The Serbian Ministry of the Interior has provided limited details about these operations, leaving critical questions unanswered how were foreign intelligence agencies able to establish “terrorist cells” on Serbian territory.
The ministry has not addressed the following questions: What measures are in place to prevent Serbia from being used as a staging ground for destabilizing third countries? Are elements within Serbia’s security apparatus complicit in such activities?
The lack of transparency fuels speculation and reinforces concerns about Serbia’s reputation as a hub for illicit activities, often described as a “terrorist-mafia paradise.”
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The shadow of Milan Radoičić
These events have drawn renewed attention to Milan Radoičić, a controversial figure and political ally of Vučić in Kosovo.
Radoičić, linked to organized crime, was implicated in the September 2023 Banjska attack, an armed assault by Serb militants on Kosovo police that resulted in the deaths of three militants and a Kosovar sergeant, Afrim Bunjaku. Radoičić admitted responsibility for the attack, was briefly detained, and is now a free man in Serbia, though restricted from leaving the country.
Radoičić’s recent appearance in Kosjerić, a municipality where the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) faced electoral setbacks, has sparked controversy.
Eyewitnesses report that Radoičić, accompanied by associates in multiple jeeps, intimidated locals and issued threats. According to the citizens’ group “Clean People for a Clean Kosjerić,” Radoičić warned a participant at a student gathering: “Tell the others, we’re walking on Saturday, I’ll be present, and no hair on anyone’s head should be missing, because we’re ready to die for our beliefs without any problems.”
Some view his actions as an attempt to rally Vučić’s political base, while others see it as a calculated move to suppress dissent.
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The original article can be found here.
Caption: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic arrives prior to the 7th meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) in Copenhagen, Denmark, 02 October 2025. The summit, bringing together leaders from across the continent, will focus on defense and support for Ukraine, the security situation in Europe, including economic security and migration. EPA/THOMAS TRAASDAHL DENMARK OUT
Updated: October 6, 2025 - 11:22
