Ukraine
Ukraine Arms Probe Traces Funds to Croatian Zubak Family
Ukraine's $36.6 million ammunition probe reaches Matias Zubak, son of Croatian arms dealer Zvonko Zubak, and Bosnia's Vitezit explosives plant.
SEE
Defense news and analysis from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, and Kosovo, procurement, industrial partnerships, and capability development across the Western Balkans and the Adriatic.
Serbia
Serbia Drills With Pantsir-S1 as Air Defense Network Expands
Serbia's 250th Air Defense Missile Brigade is conducting intensive Pantsir-S1 training as Belgrade builds a layered network around Russian and Chinese systems.
Croatia
Ukrainian Nord Stream Sabotage Suspect Arrested in Croatia
Croatia arrested a Ukrainian diver suspected of helping sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022, opening a new route for extradition to Germany.
Analysis
Cyberattack Wave Hits State Institutions Across CEE and SEE
From Bosnia's border service to Poland's health records and Latvia's vehicle registry, a wave of cyberattacks has struck state institutions across CEE and SEE since June, exposing tens of millions of records.
Analysis
Who's Leading Next-Generation Body Armor and Soldier Kit
From Anduril's AI helmet to Poland's Tytan program and Croatia's Šestan-Busch, AD maps the companies building next-generation body armor and soldier systems across the US, Europe, and CEE/SEE.
Serbia
Serbia Says New Elbit Drone Factory Will Target Export Markets
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić discusses Serbia's joint drone production project with Israel's Elbit Systems
Weekly Briefing
CEE & SEE Defense Weekly Briefing: August 9–15, 2026
This week: an ammunition plant explosion near Rome, Poland launches its first Miecznik frigate, a stray drone exposes Bulgaria's air defense gaps, and Serbia sets a September date for its Israeli drone factory.
Analysis
Germany Tests New G2G Defense Export Model with Montenegro
Germany is testing its first government-to-government defense sales model with Montenegro, using four H145M helicopters as a potential blueprint for wider European procurement.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria Air Defense Gaps Exposed After Drone Incursion
A drone explosion near Bulgaria’s border with Romania has renewed scrutiny of radar coverage, counter-drone defenses and the pace of air defense modernization.
Jobs
Orqa Is Hiring: Croatian Drone Maker Opens Nearly 30 Roles
Osijek-based Orqa is scaling fast, with close to 30 open positions spanning hardware, embedded software, and production as the FPV and tactical drone maker grows its Croatian workforce.
Romania
Romania Reviews Otokar COBRA II Production at Mediaș Plant
Romania’s defense minister inspected COBRA II production at Otokar’s Mediaș plant as deliveries under the €857 million program reached 290 vehicles.
Western Balkans
Mapping the Western Balkans' Growing Drone Ecosystem
From Croatia's Orqa to Serbia's Elbit joint venture and Kosovo's Skifteri, the Western Balkans is fast becoming a serious unmanned systems production hub. Here is who builds what.