Member of group that planted explosives near gas pipeline between Serbia and Hungary the week before elections convicted

The Higher Regional Court in Subotica, Serbia has sentenced a member of a seven-person organized group suspected of acquiring and storing explosives, explosive devices, and drones in Serbia and then smuggling them into European Union countries to one year of house arrest, according to a report by MTI based on a story from Radio Free Europe (RFE)’s Balkan editorial office. The group was identified by the Serbian Security and Intelligence Agency (BIA), the Military Security Agency (VBA), the Criminal Police of the Ministry of the Interior, and the Military Police during an investigation into the explosives discovered near Trešnjevac, in the proximity the Serbian-Hungarian gas pipeline known as the Turkish Stream on April 5, one week before the Hungarian elections.

The man, identified by the initials D. A., was convicted for agreeing to transport a long-range combat drone equipped with an explosive device in exchange for €500. The pensioner, who had no prior criminal record, entered into a plea agreement with the Subotica High Prosecutor’s Office on September 8, and the court handed down its verdict three days later. According to the verdict, D. A., along with three other individuals, transported a highly destructive explosive device without a permit in May. The FPN-type combat drone, which could be controlled via a wireless video link, was equipped with a battery, a mechanical-electrical ignition mechanism, and a mount used to secure the explosive charge.

Two other members of the group had tasked D.A. with transporting the device by truck. The name of the final destination was redacted from the court order. The Serbian authorities are conducting an investigation against the group on suspicion of the illegal manufacture, possession, transportation and trafficking of weapons and explosives.

As mentioned above, it was just one week before the Hungarian parliamentary elections that approximately four kilograms of a substance suspected to be explosives were found in two black backpacks near the Hungarian-Serbian border. According to a statement issued by the Subotica High Prosecutor’s Office at the time, the substances were believed to be plastic explosives and tools that could be used to assemble a detonator. Approximately 140 soldiers and police officers participated in the search of the area. The Hungarian government at the time, led by Viktor Orbán insinuated that Ukraine may have been involved in the planned sabotaging of Hungary’s natural gas supply, and issued an order to place the gas pipeline’s Hungarian section under military protection.

Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić said that if the alleged attack had been successful, Hungary and northern Serbia could have been left without gas. During the investigation, Serbian authorities discovered additional explosives, explosive devices, drones, and the equipment needed to operate them.

According to a previous statement by the prosecutor’s office, the group was working to transport these items to designated locations in European Union countries. Two Serbian citizens, Danilo B. and Slobodan Dj., apprehended in June near the Serbian-Hungarian border are also among the suspects. According to the German press, the two men may have been preparing a bombing attack in Germany, acting as so-called “disposable agents” on behalf of Russian intelligence. The Subotica High Court has extended their pretrial detention until December 9. According to German media reports, German investigators are also looking into whether the two men detained in Serbia had any connections with those suspected of involvement in the August incident at Leipzig Airport, when a drone equipped with an explosive device was found near Ukrainian cargo planes at the Leipzig/Halle Airport.

According to the German press, one of the suspects in the case is a Russian citizen identified as Oleg L., who has previously been linked to the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU. Serbian authorities have not yet stated whether they consider the connection to Russian intelligence to be proven. The Subotica Prosecutor’s Office announced that it is continuing the investigation in cooperation with the investigative authorities of the European countries involved, with the goal of clarifying the suspects’ exact roles and the intended use of the seized devices.