Serbia’s Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Subotica has expanded its investigation into a case involving alleged Russian intelligence operatives to four additional people, Radio Free Europe (RFE) reported Wednesday.
According to the prosecutor’s office, four of the newly investigated individuals are in custody, while another person has been placed under house arrest. One additional suspect, identified by the initials D.V., is currently unavailable to Serbian authorities.
The Subotica prosecutor’s office had previously opened an investigation in June against B.D. and Đ.S. on suspicion of jointly possessing and carrying weapons, ammunition and explosive materials without authorization. B.D. is also being investigated for alleged document forgery.
The expansion is linked to a case that German media reported in July, when Bild said special forces had arrested two alleged Russian “one-off” intelligence operatives near the Hungarian-Serbian border earlier in June.
According to the German report, the suspects were allegedly recruited for specific missions rather than as permanent intelligence assets and were suspected of planning to plant explosives in Germany. Investigators reportedly believed a potential target could have been connected to the production or supply of military equipment to Ukraine.
Serbian prosecutors have not confirmed the German media reports, stressing that the investigation remains ongoing and classified.
Investigation linked to explosives found in northern Serbia
The Subotica prosecution has also linked the expanded investigation to a separate case involving explosives discovered in the Kanjiža area of northern Serbia.
The explosives were found in April near a gas pipeline, shortly before Hungary’s parliamentary elections. Serbia’s Military Security Agency (VBA) said at the time that investigators had discovered explosives and equipment allegedly intended for preparing an act of sabotage.
The Subotica prosecutor’s office subsequently announced that it was investigating seven people and that authorities had uncovered what it described as an organized group operating in Serbia that allegedly procured and stored explosives, explosive devices and drones before transferring them to EU countries.
The initials of the people under investigation reportedly overlap with those in the case involving the alleged Russian agents.
Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency (BIA), Military Security Agency, police and military police were involved in the investigation.
Prosecutors said surveillance of the group led to the discovery of explosives, explosive devices, drones and other equipment allegedly necessary for their use.
The investigation is expected to involve cooperation with law-enforcement authorities in European countries to establish the role of the individuals involved and determine the intended use of the materials seized.
The case has drawn additional attention because of allegations that Serbia was being used as a staging or transit point for activities involving explosives and equipment allegedly destined for EU countries.
The Serbian authorities have not publicly established a direct connection between the suspects and Russian intelligence services, while the German media reports that triggered attention to the case remain part of an ongoing investigation.
