The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service regarded the imposition of US sanctions against the head of Serbian intelligence Alexander Vulin as another act of American aggression.
“The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service drew attention to the inclusion of Alexander Vulin, director of the Serbian Security and Information Agency, on the US sanctions list. We qualify this step as another attempt by Washington to rudely interfere in the affairs of an independent country and a new act of American aggression against the Serbian state, ”RIA Novosti quotes a message from the service.
“Today, anyone who defends national interests and refuses to dance to the tune of the Americans automatically falls into the zone of action of their insane sanctions skating rink,” the Foreign Intelligence Service believes.
They also noted that the Serbian people, with their history and desire for freedom, causes «special annoyance at the White House.»
Vulin came under US sanctions on July 11, 2023. During a visit to Moscow in August 2022, he met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He stated that Serbia is the only country in Europe that has not joined the «anti-Russian hysteria.» Vulin became the first high-ranking Serbian official to fall under US sanctions since Aleksandar Vucic took over as President of Serbia in 2017. Washington accused Vulin of helping Russia pursue a policy of destabilizing the situation in the Western Balkans.
On July 14, 2023, President Aleksandar Vučić stated that Serbia was not imposing sanctions against Moscow for moral reasons.
“The moral position of Serbia is most important. Are we making money from this or not? No. Do we have many problems because of this? Yes, we have. Am I sure we’ll keep going? No, I’m not sure,» he said at the time.