Belgrade Condemns Delivery of Turkish Combat Drones to Kosovo
Serbia denounces Türkiye over the delivery of Baykar’s “Skydagger” drones to Kosovo, calling it a destabilizing move, while Pristina celebrates a leap in defense modernization.
BELGRADE — Serbia has issued a sharp rebuke following the delivery of Turkish-made “Skydagger” combat drones to the Kosovo Security Force (KSF), calling the move a threat to regional stability. The development has further strained relations between Belgrade and Ankara, while Pristina hailed the acquisition as a milestone in its defense modernization.
The delivery, confirmed by Kosovo’s Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti on October 8, reportedly arrived three months ahead of schedule. Kurti said the drones, produced by Baykar, will enhance Kosovo’s precision-strike capabilities and operate alongside its existing Bayraktar TB2 and U.S.-made Puma systems.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić reacted fiercely, accusing Türkiye of “destabilizing the Western Balkans” and breaching UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which defines Kosovo’s international status. Vučić went further, claiming that Ankara was “dreaming of reviving the Ottoman Empire,” before later softening his tone and calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “a great leader.”
Serbia’s Chief of Staff General Milan Mojsilović held an urgent call with Major General Özkan Ulutaş, the newly appointed Turkish commander of NATO’s KFOR mission, to protest Kosovo’s growing armament.
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, however, praised Türkiye for its “constructive contribution to peace and stability” in the region and dismissed Vučić’s remarks as “shameful and hypocritical,” citing Serbia’s own arms cooperation with Russia, China, and Iran.
