Belgrade hosts “Strength of Unity” military parade as police block student protesters

The parade, staged behind the Palace of Serbia, featured some of the most modern military hardware in the country’s arsenal. For the first time, Serbia showcased the Israeli-made PULS long-range multiple rocket launcher system. The climax of the event was a flyover by two French Rafale fighter jets, which Serbia recently ordered. The aircraft did not land in Serbia but instead arrived directly from France, performed a flyover in formation with two Serbian Air Force MiG-29s, and returned immediately afterwards.

Domestically produced NORA 155mm self-propelled howitzers, which Serbia exports to multiple countries, were also displayed, along with various types of drones whose prominence has grown due to the war in Ukraine. Infantry units, aircraft, helicopters, and vessels from Serbia’s River Flotilla also took part. According to official figures, the event included 10,000 participants, 2,500 pieces of military equipment, more than 600 vehicles, 70 aircraft, and 20 naval units.

The parade attracted international attention. Attendees included UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a delegation from Bahrain led by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, as well as military representatives from France, China, Hungary, and the US state of Ohio’s National Guard. Diplomats accredited in Serbia were present, alongside political figures from Republika Srpska, Montenegro, and Serbia itself, including Milorad Dodik, Zeljka Cvijanovic, Andrija Mandic, Milan Knezevic, and Aleksandar Sapic, Mayor of Belgrade. Actor Steven Seagal and former Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic were also among the invited guests.

Yet the political and social backdrop cast a shadow over the spectacle. Serbia has been experiencing months of student-led protests triggered by a deadly accident in Novi Sad on November 1 last year, when the roof of a newly reconstructed train station collapsed, killing 16 people. Protesters have since accused the government of corruption and negligence.

Students had announced they would not stage a protest during the parade, but instead attend to express support for the army, which they described as “the army of all citizens, not one party or one man.” Despite this, heavy police deployments prevented them and other supportive citizens from approaching the parade grounds. A group of students who managed to reach the area through residential blocks was surrounded by gendarmerie units and forced back.

In stark contrast, supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic’s ruling Serbian Progressive Party were allowed to stand just meters away from the parade site, watching preparations undisturbed. When approached by an N1 journalist, they responded with insults and verbal abuse.

After the conclusion of the parade, police units withdrew, allowing citizens and students to approach departing soldiers. Many waved and cheered as the military convoys passed, and some members of the armed forces returned their greetings, offering a rare moment of connection between the troops and the public in a day otherwise marked by separation.