The Director of the Institute for Hybrid Warfare Studies, Agim Musliu, has announced that Serbia’s deceptive hybrid warfare continues.
Through a Facebook post, he has disclosed evidence of how Serbia is exploiting old videos to fuel ultranationalism and chauvinism.
“Serbia’s Deceptive Hybrid Warfare: Exploiting Old Videos to Stoke Ultranationalism and Chauvinism
The relentless pursuit of territorial expansion and nationalist agendas by Serbia is becoming increasingly severe, as evidenced by its latest manipulative tactics in the hybrid war against Kosovo. Serbia, through various accounts on social networks, driven by hidden motives, exploits old footage to sow the seeds of ultranationalism and chauvinism among its population. Such deceptive practices not only undermine regional stability but also pose a significant threat to peace and security,” writes Musliu.
He provides a clear example of Serbia’s hostile propaganda, displayed on May 5, 2024, when a video resurfaced on YouTube with fiery statements: “WE WON’T GIVE UP KOSOVO! WE’LL TAKE JERUSALEM THIS YEAR” and similar provocative rhetoric.
“However, a closer examination reveals that the footage dates back to 2018, depicting a pilgrimage of Serbian believers and clerics to Jerusalem during Orthodox Easter celebrations. Regardless of the timing of the video, it continues to be used as a weapon by Serbian security institutions to inflame ultra-nationalist sentiments, all in the name of a hybrid war against Kosovo.
Serbia consistently exploits historical events, distorting their narrative to fit its expansionist agenda. The 2018 pilgrimage to Jerusalem has been repackaged as a chauvinistic call for territorial dominance, priming the masses for war,” explains Musliu.
According to him, this disinformation campaign illustrates Serbia’s hybrid warfare tactics, where the lines between conventional and unconventional warfare are blurred.
“By weaponizing social media platforms like YouTube, Serbia disseminates falsehoods and exploits the emotions of its citizens. Such calculated deception not only inflames nationalist sentiments but also undermines the integrity of information networks, making them vulnerable to manipulation,” he concludes.
The link showing that the video is from 2018:
The link showing the manipulated video:
The link showing the event when it happened:
