14.08.2025.
Media briefing following attack on members of Serbian Armed Forces
Following the recent attack on members of the Serbian Armed Forces in Novi Sad, the Director of the Military Security Agency, Lieutenant General Đuro Jovanić, and Master Sergeant Vladimir Brkušanin, who was injured in the incident, made public statements today at the Old General Staff building in Belgrade.
The media briefing was attended by the Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, and the Commander of the Special Purpose Military Police Detachment “Kobre”, Colonel Darko Đošić.
On that occasion, the Director of the Military Security Agency stated that the Serbian Armed Forces personnel – members of the Special Purpose Military Police Detachment “Kobre” – were attacked while performing their regular duties of providing security to a designated protected individual.
- During the attack on SAF members by unidentified assailants, who used physical force, clubs, various incendiary devices, torches, and other pyrotechnics, seven members of the Serbian Armed Forces sustained injuries, four of whom suffered severe physical trauma – Lieutenant General Jovanić said.
He explained that, during the course of this unpleasant incident, members of the Serbian Armed Forces issued multiple warnings to the group of unidentified assailants, clearly identifying themselves as authorized personnel. Despite these warnings, the attackers persisted and continued their assault.
- Members of the Serbian Armed forces exclusively employed passive measures of resistance, relying on ballistic protection – specifically, ballistic briefcases. Given the number of attackers and assessing that the lives of SAF members were in imminent danger, and with the intent to issue a final warning and deter the ongoing assault, an officer discharged a single warning shot into the air. Following this, the assailants ceased their attack and withdrew from the scene. The action undertaken by the Serbian Armed Forces member was fully in accordance with established rules and regulations, and was undertaken solely to protect the lives of fellow personnel, and it is our assessment that their lives would have been seriously endangered had he not acted in that manner. By discharging a warning shot into the air, no lives were endeared; on the contrary, this action prevented further danger to the lives of the Serbian Armed Forces personnel. Had this measure not been taken, the consequences for SAF members would have been far more severe, emphasized Lieutenant General Jovanić. He further announced that authorized personnel from the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, together with other authorized agencies of the Republic of Serbia, will identify and locate the assailants in the coming period and undertake all necessary actions and measures prescribed by law.
Master Sergeant Brkušanin stated that he and other members of the Kobre detachment were carrying out their regular security assignment when they were attacked and surrounded by approximately one hundred people. Initially they employed passive resistance, but when they assessed that their lives were in imminent danger, he fired a warning shot into the air to prevent more severe consequences for himself and his colleagues.
- Regarding the incident, I want to say that yesterday I was performing my regular duty of providing security to a designated protected person. While doing so, we were attacked by a group of nearly one hundred individuals armed with metal and wooden rods, stun grenades, torches, and rocks. The attack was intense. We primarily employed passive resistance by protecting vital areas of our bodies and resisted as effectively as possible. When we found ourselves surrounded on three sides with a wall behind us, I assessed that our lives were in imminent danger. At that point, I discharged my firearm by firing a shot into the air in a safe direction. Immediately after, the attackers dispersed. I responsibly state and firmly believe that, had I not taken this action, the consequences for me and my colleagues would have been far more serious – emphasized the injured member of the Kobre detachment.
Master Sergeant Brkušanin emphasized that he has served in this role for many years and expressed his deep surprise at the reaction and behaviour of the assailants.
- I want to point out that I’ve been doing this job for over twenty years, and I’ve never witnessed such anger, such hatred - toward authorized personnel. They knew we were military police officers, we issued multiple warnings. In all my years of service, I’ve never encountered anything like this, and I must say, I’m deeply surprised by it – said the Master Sergeant of the Serbian Armed Forces who was on duty during the attack.
