Serbian intelligence has uncovered a large-scale intelligence-gathering operation jointly carried out by Russian spies and Serbian soldiers, announced Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Vucic made the statement after convening a National Security Council session in light of a video published on YouTube which shows a Russian special agent paying money to a Serbian citizen in Belgrade.

The Serbian authorities have identified the Russian as Lt. Col. Georgy Kleban, a former assistant military attaché at the Russian embassy in Belgrade. The full name of his Serbian counterpart, a retired Serbian army officer, was not mentioned – Vucic disclosed only his initials: Z.K.

According to the president, the meeting took place in December last year. Vucic did not clarify who had filmed the meeting between Kleban and Z.K.

The Serbian agents who were following Z.K. were only able to film the meeting between Kleban and his Serbian source “from afar”, since the Russian officer had been assigned a security detail. However, they managed to do so on other occasions, Vucic noted.

“On several occasions, Serbian intelligence gathered audio and video evidence of contact between Lt. Col. Kleban and Serbian army personnel,” the president said during a press conference.

Vucic said that Serbia has evidence concerning other Russian spies, and mentioned ten contacts with three sources. He also accused several western countries of spying on Serbia.

However, the Serbian president stressed that the espionage scandal should not damage Russian-Serbian relations, since he believes “President Putin was not informed”.

“We will not change our policy towards Russia, which we consider a fraternal and friendly country… but we will enhance our protection in the intelligence domain… Today I asked the Russian ambassador about one thing. I asked him: Why?” Vucic noted.

  Serbia, Russia

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