Caught Between Bosnia, Russia, and Ukraine: Vučić Opens Up on Serbia’s Arms Dilemma
After Moscow’s criticism over alleged Serbian arms reaching Ukraine, President Aleksandar Vučić said Serbia faces export pressure from all sides — noting that “even when we give Bosnia gunpowder, they give us primers,” revealing deep regional supply links despite political tension.
Belgrade — Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated today that Serbia’s defense industry is increasingly constrained by export restrictions, adding that even trade with neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina has become politically sensitive.
“Even when we give Bosnia gunpowder, they give us primers,” Vučić said in an interview for RTS. “I want people in Konjic and Goražde to keep their jobs — they are mostly Bosniaks, but also Croats and Serbs. I want those factories to keep operating.”
Vučić referred to Igman in Konjic and Ginex in Goražde, two of Bosnia’s leading ammunition and detonator manufacturers, both key suppliers to regional and international markets. “Without those primers, we cannot produce some of Serbia’s most important strategic products,” he noted.
Tensions with Moscow
His remarks come amid new friction with Moscow. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova sharply criticized Vučić earlier this week for suggesting that some Serbian-made weapons might indirectly reach Ukraine.
“I refuse even to imagine Russian soldiers being struck by Serbian weapons,” Zakharova said, accusing Vučić of giving “different statements in Moscow and in the West.”
Vučić responded that he would not “be rude,” emphasizing that his restraint was out of respect for Serbia’s interests and the Russian people. “I will not allow myself to behave the way Ms. Zakharova did,” he said, describing his meeting with Russian Ambassador Alexander Bocan-Kharchenko as “difficult for many reasons.”
Defense Industry Interdependence in the Balkans
The statement underscores the deep industrial interdependence across the Western Balkans’ defense sector. While Serbia exports gunpowder and propellants, it relies on Bosnian-made primers from Ginex and other components to complete its ammunition production lines.
Analysts note that this mutual dependence has long existed beneath political tensions. “Despite nationalist rhetoric, the Balkans’ defense ecosystem functions as a connected supply chain,” one industry observer told Adria Defense. “Factories in Serbia, Bosnia, and elsewhere are part of the same production web serving European and global buyers.”
