Bulgaria
EMCO Rules Out Human Error in Bulgaria Ammunition Depot Fire
A fire and explosions hit an EMCO ammunition depot near Tryavna on August 10. No casualties were reported, while authorities investigate the cause.
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 to Open Israeli Drone Factory in September 2026
Serbia plans to open a joint drone factory with an Israeli partner around September 15-20, President Aleksandar Vučić said in Belgrade.
Weekly Briefing
CEE & SEE Defense Weekly Briefing: August 2–8, 2026
This week: what NATO's Baltic Drone Wall actually is behind the buzzword, Estonia's €2.34B SAFE loan, Zelensky's expected first visit to Belgrade, and Poland's deepening ties with Israeli defense industry.
Türkiye
NATO Launches New Tools to Expand Defense Industry Output
NATO launched the Front Door for Industry and NATO Engine to simplify procurement access and connect factory capacity across the Alliance.
Serbia
Zelensky Expected in Serbia as Belgrade and Kyiv Deepen Ties
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Serbia in what would be his first trip to Belgrade since Russia's full-scale invasion. The visit could signal a further expansion of economic and political cooperation between the two countries.
Analysis
Wagner's Successor Force Is Losing the War It Was Sent to Win
He organized Wagner's deployment to Mali and paid for it with his life. Eighteen months after Russia rebranded its mercenaries as a "cleaner" state force, the war it promised to win is the one killing it.
Bulgaria
Starbase Europe Plans Space Defense Hub Near Sofia
Starbase Europe plans to establish a space and defense innovation hub near Sofia, supporting Bulgaria's ambitions to expand its aerospace ecosystem and attract investment in dual-use technologies.
Events
Defense Trade Show Calendar 2026-2027: Which CEE and SEE Events Matter
MSPO, IDET, Partner, IDEB, and HEMUS run on staggered biennial cycles. Miss the year and you miss the show. Here is the confirmed 2026-2027 calendar for defense industry professionals working in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.
Defense Industry
AdriaDefense.com Records 95.343 Visits in July, Up 200% Year-on-Year
The milestone reflects the growing trust of readers, partners, and advertisers as AdriaDefense continues expanding its international audience and independent coverage of the defense sector.
Serbia
Serbia and Israel Build a Strategic Partnership Beyond the Headlines
Israel and Serbia have quietly built one of Europe's fastest-growing strategic partnerships through defense cooperation, industrial projects, and shared geopolitical interests. The relationship reflects broader changes in European security and the emerging balance of power across the Balkans.
Albania
Albania Delivers First NATO-Standard Military Vehicles Built at Home
Albania has delivered the first 40 NATO-standard tactical vehicles assembled domestically by TIMAK Defence, marking the operational debut of the country's renewed defense manufacturing sector through a public-private partnership with state-owned KAYO.
Weekly Briefing
CEE & SEE Defense Weekly Briefing: July 27 – August 1, 2026
This week: Germany breaks ground on Europe's largest gunpowder plant, Croatia lands a Beretta ammunition deal, Lithuania passes 5 percent of GDP on defense, and a Bosnian manufacturer's costly email fraud.