Politico: Russian intelligence uses Serbian agent to influence EU institutions

Russian intelligence uses a Serbian agent to influence EU institutions and spread pro-Kremlin theses regarding its invasion of Ukraine.

Politico writes about this with reference to the data of Western intelligence, with which the publication got acquainted.

In October 2023, the citizen of Serbia and the head of the military union of this country, Novica Antić, an active "agent of influence" who, according to the documents, deliberately cooperated with the Russian special services, held meetings with European officials in Brussels, in particular, with members of the European Parliament.

According to a press release and a photo published by Politico, these MEPs included: Germanyʼs Greens Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Italyʼs Socialists and Democrats MLA Alessandra Moretti, and Vladimír Bilčík, a Slovakian member of the conservative group of the European Peopleʼs Party. The intelligence report does not indicate that Moretti, Bilčík and von Cramon-Taubadel knew about Antićʼs ties to the FSB when they met with him.

Meanwhile, Moretti, Bilčík and von Cramon-Taubadel did not respond to Politicoʼs request for comment.

Antić, head of the Serbian Military Trade Union, also met with representatives of the EUROMIL and EPSU trade unions, which represent armed forces personnel and civil servants in the European Union, respectively. At the time of publication, Politico had not received a response from EUROMIL or EPSU regarding the meeting with Antić.

According to Western intelligence, Antić is an active "agent of influence" of the Federal Security Service of Russia.

Antić is said to be working closely with FSB officer Vyacheslav Kalinin, a Russian citizen and editor-in-chief of Veteran News, a media site specializing in news for veterans of the armed forces. The "About Us" tab on the website says that Veteran News is an "information partner" of the FSB and the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Kalinin also did not respond to Politicoʼs request for comment.

The publication notes that Russia is using Serbia as a platform for influence operations designed to weaken pro-European and pro-Native sentiments within the country, as well as in the European Union, which has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion two years ago. Antić has used his role as head of Serbiaʼs military alliance to criticize Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and senior military officials.

"They [the FSB] used every opportunity to promote Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine," said intelligence materials about the meetings in Serbia and EU countries.

The news that Antić held meetings in the European Parliament highlights the vulnerability of this body to state influence operations. Earlier this month, Politico revealed that spyware was found on the cellphones of two European Parliament lawmakers, including former French Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau, who chairs the security subcommittee.

Antić and his representatives did not respond to Politicoʼs request for comment.

The publication notes that Kalinin invited Antić to Russia to meet with high-ranking Russian military personnel in the period from 2019 to 2020. At first they focused on influencing Serbian civil society, then expanded their focus to European trade union and veterans organizations, and in recent months to members of the European Parliament.

Balkan Insight notes that Antić, an outspoken critic of the Serbian Armed Forces who is at odds with the countryʼs political leadership, is currently in custody on unspecified charges.

According to Balkan Insight, Antić has been dismissed from the Serbian army twice in the past five years. According to the publication, he went on hunger strike as a sign of protest against his detention. Antichʼs lawyer refused to specify the charges on which he was detained.