Serbia thwarts sabotage attempt near gas pipeline

Serbia’s Ministry of Defence reported the discovery of a batch of explosives near a gas pipeline connecting the country with Hungary, classifying the incident as an attempted act of sabotage, according to TASS.

“During the operation, a significant quantity of explosive materials was found, along with items and tools necessary for their preparation and use. Suspicious objects were detected in close proximity to the gas pipeline, that is, the gas infrastructure linking the Republic of Serbia and Hungary,” the ministry said.

The ministry noted that the operation involved criminal police, military police, the 72nd Special Operations Brigade, as well as representatives from the Security and Intelligence Agency and the Military Security Service.

“The act has been classified as a criminal offense under Article 348 of the Criminal Code — illegal production, storage, possession, and circulation of weapons and explosives — combined with an offense under Article 313 — attempted sabotage,” the ministry emphasised.

Authorities continue to work on-site to search for additional evidence and identify those responsible. “The Ministry of Defence, in cooperation with other agencies, will continue to take all measures to ensure the safety of citizens and protect critical infrastructure,” the ministry added.

Suspicious objects were discovered in the vicinity of the village of Velebit on the morning of April 5. Approximately 140 police officers and military personnel were involved in the search operation.

Earlier, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić reported that explosives and detonators were found a few hundred meters from the gas pipeline near Velebit.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that Budapest considers the incident an attack on the country’s sovereignty, as this route carries the main volumes of gas from Russia.

By Jeyhun Aghazada