10.06.2026.
Staff Sergeant Milovan Jovanović laid to rest
Staff Sergeant Milovan Jovanović, a member of the Second Army Brigade, who died while serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was laid to rest today in the Kovači area in Kraljevo.
The funeral was attended by Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić.As a token of remembrance and an expression of the homeland’s gratitude for Staff Sgt Milan Jovanović’s dedicated service and contribution to the fulfilment of missions of the Serbian Armed Forces, the Commander of the Second Army Brigade, Brigadier General Nebojša Nedeljković, handed over the flag of the Republic of Serbia to Staff Sgt Jovanović’s father, Miloš Jovanović.
Alongside his family members, colleagues, and friends, the funeral was also attended by members of the Defence Minister’s and the Chief of the General Staff’s collegiums, as well as a large number of members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces.
Earlier today, a commemoration was held at the Ribnica Barracks in Kraljevo, where tribute was paid to the fallen Staff Sgt Jovanović by colleagues from his unit. The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Tiosav Janković, Commander of the Army, Major General Zoran Nasković, members of the Serbian Armed Forces, representatives of the local government, and friends of the late Staff Sgt Jovanović.During the commemoration, the Commander of the Second Army Brigade, Brig Gen Nedeljković, presented the United Nations Peacekeeping Medal to Ana Jovanović, the widow of the fallen NCO. The medal is the highest of five posthumous decorations awarded to the late member of the Serbian Armed Forces for merit and dedicated service in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. He was also posthumously recognized for bravery by medals awarded by the Republic of Lebanon and the Kingdom of Spain.
Addressing the family and those present at the commemoration, Gen Nedeljković noted that Staff Sgt Jovanović had been a role mode, both in his private life and within the military organization, where he had been an indispensable part of all tasks.
- Selflessly sharing his knowledge and experience, he spared no effort in supporting younger colleagues and set an example for future generations. He was well-liked by his colleagues and friends, recognized wherever he went and in everything he did – Gen Nedeljković said, noting that Staff Sgt Jovanović would be remembered by his colleagues as a symbol of stability, firm conviction, and righteousness.
On behalf of the family, eulogies were delivered by Staff Sgt Jovanović’s father Miloš Jovanović, sister Marija Kovačević, and nephew Dušan Kovačević, and on behalf of his unit, his company commander, Captain First Class Stefan Novosel, bid him farewell.Staff Sgt Milovan Jovanović died on June 4 after being critically injured when mortar shells struck the United Nations base in Lebanon, where he had been deployed as part of the UNIFIL mission. UNIFIL personnel paid him tribute in Beirut on June 7, after which his remains were repatriated to the Republic of Serbia. A solemn ceremony honouring the return of Staff Sgt Jovanović’s remains was held at Nikola Tesla Airport on June 9, with an honour guard formed by members of the Serbian Armed Forces.
To commemorate the death of Staff Sgt Jovanović, a day of mourning was observed yesterday in all organizational units within the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. The fallen serviceman was honoured with a minute of silence, while the flags of the Republic of Serbia were flown at half-mast on all buildings of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. Today is a day of mourning in Kraljevo, the hometown of the fallen member of the Serbian Armed Forces.
Staff Sergeant Milovan Jovanović was born on June 6, 1989, in Kraljevo. He joined the Serbian Armed Forces on December 10, 2011. Since 2019, he had served in the 27th Mechanized Battalion, based at the Jovan Kursula Barracks in Kraljevo, from where he was deployed to UNIFIL in January this year. He is survived by his wife and two young children.
PHOTOGALLERY
VIDEOGALLERY10.06.2026
mp4 (99,88 MB)The commemoration
