July 30 (SeeNews) - Serbia expects to receive a further twenty BRDM-2 amphibious reconnaissance and patrol vehicles and ten tanks from Russia, Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic said.
The vehicles and tanks will be delivered by the end of the year, Vucic said on Monday, as quoted in a government statement.
Serbia received as a gift from Russia on Monday ten modernised BRDM-2 vehicles, Vucic also said.
On Friday, Russian media reported that Romania has blocked the delivery of tanks and armoured vehicles from Russia to Serbia by refusing to issue a permit for their transportation on the Danube river due to the EU sanctions on Russia. According to Serbian media reports, the shipment consists of 30 BRDM-2 amphibious reconnaissance and patrol vehicles and 30 T-72B3 tanks.
Serbia maintains close political ties with Russia and refuses to join the Western economic sanctions against Moscow. The country is holding EU accession talks but unlike other Western Balkan states, it does not aspire to join NATO.