Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has condemned Russian mercenary force Wagner for trying to recruit soldiers from his country after the group ran a local media advertisement for Serbs to fight in Ukraine.
The criticism marks a rare public rebuke from the Serbian leader towards Russia – a steadfast ally of the Balkan country.
Vucic slammed Russia’s websites and social media groups for publishing advertisements in the Serbian language, in which the Wagner Group calls on volunteers to join its ranks.
“Why do you do that to Serbia?” Vucic said during a televised interview late on Monday. “Why do you, from Wagner, call anyone from Serbia when you know that it is against our regulations?”
The controversial advertisement appeared earlier this month in the Russian state media outlet RT’s Serbian affiliate.
The Serbian legislature has banned the participation of its citizens in conflicts abroad and several people have been sentenced for doing so.
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Prigozhin does seem to be overplaying his hand. He also claimed credit for the victory at Soledar, which the Russian leader Lapin sorta rebuked offhandedly. The guy wants to make a career for himself afterwards, gotta wait and see if he flies to close to the sun