In Serbia, unknown individuals doused a monument to prominent Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko with black paint on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale war. The Ukrainian Embassy called it a disgraceful act of vandalism.
Serbia is traditionally perceived as a Kremlin partner in Europe. This myth is shaped by events of the late 1990s, energy dependence on Moscow, and a shared position on Kosovo. However, the picture might be more complicated than everyone sees.
Behind the façade of these ties lies a completely different pragmatic reality, says Taras Zahorodnii, a Ukrainian political analyst and managing partner of the National Anti-Crisis Group. Since 2022, the volume of Serbian military exports reaching Ukraine through third countries has already exceeded €800 million, Espreso reports.
Serbia supplies ammunition to Ukraine despite neutral stance
“Few speak about this publicly, but Serbia is one of the important indirect suppliers of ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the expert says.
At the same time, President Aleksandar Vučić takes a specific stance: he does not impose sanctions on Russia to avoid angering his electorate, while Serbian factories simultaneously fulfill European contracts for shells that ultimately end up on the front lines on Ukraine’s side.
“In this context, the painted-over Shevchenko monument looks like a classic play on emotions. For hostile intelligence services, it is important to sow discord between Kyiv and Belgrade,” the expert adds.
Zahorodnii says Ukraine needs to learn not to fall for cheap provocations when the state's strategic interests are at stake.
“Numbers matter more than paint”: intelligence services use provocations for information attacks
Moreover, it is an ideal image for internal reports to curators, creating the illusion of mass Kremlin support at minimal cost.
“Relations between Ukraine and Serbia are not straightforward. One can and should condemn vandalism, but one must not forget the specifics of actual assistance,” Zahorodnii says.
The monument in Novi Sad will certainly be cleaned, while the shells that keep the front line in place are saving lives here and now, he adds.
