01.11.2019.
New Issue of “ODBRANA” published
“Odbrana”, November – 329
The November issue of “Odbrana” (“Defense”)is all about the Serbian Armed Forces. Demonstration of the capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces“Sloboda 2019” (“Freedom 2019”), prepared on the occasion of 75 years since the liberation of Belgrade in World War II, at the military airport “Pukovnik-pilot Milenko Pavlović”(“Colonel-pilot Milenko Pavlović”) in Batajnica, was attended by Serbian President and Supreme Commander,AleksandarVučić, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev and numerous high-ranking officials. More than 100 modern combat vehicles, assets and systems used by units of the Serbian Armed Forces were presented at the Batajnica Airport. Serbian President AleksandarVučićrated the capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forcesas “very good” (“outstanding”) and said at the end of the ceremony that Serbia would be able to preserve her skies, land and people on her own.
Among the topics in this issue we wish to highlight is the joint tactical exercise “Slovenskištit 2019”(“Slavic Shield 2019”)since in addition to the Rocket Systems of the Serbian Air Defense, Air Defense Rocket Systems of the Russian Aerospace Forces were used, namely Artillery-RocketSystem for Air Defense “Panzer S1”and Rocket System for Air Defense “S 400”, with mixed crews.
- Our people are overjoyed, they are training and I expect that in the next month or two, they will also be able to show their lethal effect on the exercise in Serbia using cruise missiles and small drones, which are highly dangerous for Anti-Aircraft Systems – PresidentAleksandarVučić pointed out.
According to him, we are strengthening our military capabilities to a high degree and in spite of being a small country, we are many times stronger than we used to be.
The Exercise“Air Solution 2019” implemented by the members of our Air Forceand the Armed Forces of Romania (for the sixth time), was unique. This year, our fighter jet was flown to the Republic of Romania for the first time, and joint tasks were performed by mixed crews. The specificity of the Exercise was the participation of F-16 fighter jets.There are two texts dedicated to holidays in the magazine. Firsttopic of the issue is the Land Forces, celebrating16November, the day when the famous Kolubara Battle began. The second text is dedicated to marking 17November, the Day of the Peacekeeping OperationsCenter. This day is celebrated in memory of 1956, when the advance of the JNA Detachment was sent to the UN Emergency Response Forces at Sinai.
- I firmly believe that new allies and friends are gained while continuing along these paths, Colonel MilivojePajović, PhD, Head of the Peacekeeping OperationsCenter, said in the interview.
The jubilee of the 63rdParachute Battalion, a former Brigade,was also marked. The parachute unit has changed and transformed over three quarters of a century of its existence. Despite numerous problems, challenges and difficulties, it has remained a symbol of resistance, professionalism and military honor, which was confirmed both in the war events of the former Yugoslavia throughout the 1990s and in the 1999 war. The jubilee was marked in a true paratrooper fashion–by parachute jumps.
- Between last year’s and this year’s marking of the Day of the Military Paratroopers, members of the 63rdParachute Battalion testified their readiness and improved through numerous successfully completed tasks, displays and exercises in Serbia and abroad – saidBrigadier General Miroslav Talijan, Commander of the Special Brigade of the Serbian Armed Forces.
This issue also covered training. Part of the training of the Land ForcesReconnaissance in special conditions was also demonstrated to the Minister of Defense, Aleksandar Vulin, who accompanied the Commander of the Land Forces, Lieutenant General MilosavSimović in his visit to the Reconnaissance.
The first experiences of the H-145M helicopter pilots isintroduced through the story of Major AleksandarAksentijević, Commander of the Helicopter Division of the 119th Mixed-Helicopter Squadron, the popular “Dragons”,who will receive the helicopters. He described in five terms the impressions of the pilots flying the new aircraft – thehelicopter is safe, modern, easy to operate, reliable and quiet.
We are also introducing an interesting story about a military pilot from Namibia, JackobineKapwei, who graduated from the Medical Faculty of the Military Medical Academy, a young woman living her dreams.
We also present the visit of the Delegation of the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Defense to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The delegation was led by the Head of the Public Relations Department, Colonel MihailoZogović,Docent. The visit was an opportunity to meet and exchange experiences with public relations experts.
The special additionin the November issue of “Odbrana” is dedicated to a significant jubilee – 75years since the liberation of Belgrade in the Second World War, from the pen of Mile Bjelajac, PhD.
We also said goodbye to retired Colonel Ivan Matović, Editor-in-Chief of “NarodnaArmija”(“People’s Army”) and “Vojska” (“Armed Forces”), who left us on 9October 2019.
In the Global section we bring more interesting contributions. First of all, an interview with General Claudius Graziano, Chairman of the EU Military Committee, who recently visited the Republic of Serbia.He is a top-ranking officer, has an extremely rich career, isformer Chief of Staff of the Italian Armed Forces, Commander of Forces in the UN Mission in Lebanon who also participated in numerous missions and operations around the world under the UN flag.
General Graziano said the followingfor our magazine:
“The Serbian Armed Forces are developing rapidly and are already making an excellent and specific contribution to our missions and operations. Of course, looking to the future, we always welcome any contribution from Belgrade, especially in those missions and operations that are currently experiencing problems with manning, as is the case in Africa and Somalia.”
From the “Arms and Security 2019” International Fair, military-political commentator VladeRadulovićwrote for “Odbrana”, AleksandarŽivotićintroduced the Armed Forces of Northern Macedonia, and ProfessorElizabetaRistanović, MDfrom the MMA introduced the book “Hybrid Warfare”.
Eight days of the Fair were also devoted to books. At this year’s Belgrade Book Fair, the Media Center “Odbrana” (“Defense”), in addition to all the previous editions, presented 27 new issuesin an exhibition space covering more than two hundred square meters. At the day-to-day promotions and forums, our Institution hosted 110 speakers, and the presentation of the Defense System was crowned by – “SpecialRecognition for a Publishing Venture”, for the capital project „PopisvojnihicivilnihgubitakaKraljevineSrbije u ljudstvu u Prvomsvetskomratu – arhivskagrađaVojnogarhiva”(“List of Military and Civil Casualties of the Kingdom of Serbia in the First World War –Historical Materials from the Military Archives”), which was awarded to the Media Center “Odbrana” by an expert jury at this year’s Book Fair.
We also bring a report by RadenkoMutavdžićafrom the 7thCISM Military World Games, which took place between 18 and 27 October in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The games were opened by President of the People’s Republic of China,Xi Jinping. Over the course of nine days, participants competed in 27 disciplines at a record 329 sporting events. The quality and competition of the games is best illustrated by the fact that among the participants there were 67 winners of the Olympic Games and World Championships. Our athletes – brothersMate and Viktor Nemešand SanjaVukašinović, won three medals for Serbia.
A gift to the readers is a catalog of books published by the Media Center “Odbrana”.
