Russia is demanding an official explanation from its ally Serbia over reports that the Balkan country has delivered thousands of missiles to Ukraine to fight a Russian invasion.
This is reported by AP.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed "deep concern" over the reports, which first appeared in pro-government Russian media last month.
"We are following this story," Zakharova said. She added that the possible arming of Ukraine is a "serious issue" for Serbian-Russian relations.
According to media reports, Serbia's state-owned arms factory recently delivered about 3,500 shells for the Grad rocket launcher systems used by both the Ukrainian and Russian armed forces. The 122 mm caliber rockets were allegedly delivered to Ukraine via Turkey and Slovakia.
Serbian Defense Minister Milos Vucevic denied that his country had exported shells to Ukraine, but left open the possibility that they could have gotten there through a third party.
"If private companies buy weapons on the markets of third countries and then sell them to other companies in other countries, this is not a matter for Serbia, it is international trade," he said.
Serbia is Moscow's closest ally in Europe, with historical, religious and cultural ties strengthened by decades of pro-Russian propaganda campaigns in the Balkan country.
Russia backs Serbia's claims to its former province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008 with Western backing. And Serbia refused to impose sanctions on Moscow because of the invasion of Ukraine.
Western officials fear that Russia could use simmering tensions in Kosovo to try to destabilize the Balkans and divert attention from an invasion of Ukraine.