According to sources in a Western intelligence agency, Russia is utilizing Serbian agents to infiltrate EU institutions and propagate its narrative about the invasion of Ukraine, as reported by the Politico website on Tuesday.
Serbian citizen Novica Antić, who is working with the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation, met with several members of the European Parliament in October 2023. Antić, president of the Serbian soldiers’ union, spoke with German Green MEP Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Italian Alessandra Moretti of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and Slovakian Vladimir Bilčik of the European People’s Party, among others.
However, there is no information in the intelligence documents cited by Politico to suggest that the MEPs knew about the Serb’s ties to the FSB.
Antić also met with representatives of the EUROMIL and EPSU trade unions, which represent armed forces personnel and public service employees, respectively, in the European Union.
When asked about the meeting, an EPSU official said that "a delegation of his union was in Brussels in October, where they met with several MEPs, and they were all transparent. The only topic was trade union rights.”
Western intelligence described Antic as an active “agent of influence” of the FSB and a close associate of Vyacheslav Kalinin, editor of the Veteran News website, which is an “information partner’ of the FSB and Russia's Defense Ministry.
"Russia is using Serbia as a launchpad for influence operations designed to weaken pro-EU and pro-NATO sentiment inside the country as well as within the European Union, which has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion two years ago,” Politico wrote.
“The news that Antić held meetings inside the European Parliament underscores the body’s vulnerability to state-backed influence operations. Earlier this month, POLITICO revealed spyware was found on the mobile phones of two lawmakers in the European Parliament,” Politico recalled.
However, there is no information in the intelligence documents cited by Politico to suggest that the MEPs knew about the Serb’s ties to the FSB.
Antić also met with representatives of the EUROMIL and EPSU trade unions, which represent armed forces personnel and public service employees, respectively, in the European Union.
When asked about the meeting, an EPSU official said that "a delegation of his union was in Brussels in October, where they met with several MEPs, and they were all transparent. The only topic was trade union rights.”
Western intelligence described Antic as an active “agent of influence” of the FSB and a close associate of Vyacheslav Kalinin, editor of the Veteran News website, which is an “information partner’ of the FSB and Russia's Defense Ministry.
"Russia is using Serbia as a launchpad for influence operations designed to weaken pro-EU and pro-NATO sentiment inside the country as well as within the European Union, which has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion two years ago,” Politico wrote.
Antić has been detained twice in recent weeks by Serbian police after the country’s defense minister said soldiers should not organize in unions. Antić–a critic of the Serbian defense ministry–was accused of embezzling union funds. The man has begun a hunger protest in detention, the Serbian weekly NIN reported.Russian intelligence is using a Serbian agent to infiltrate EU institutions and to spread pro-Kremlin talking points about its invasion of Ukraine, according to a Western intelligence briefing seen by POLITICO.
— POLITICOEurope (@POLITICOEurope) March 5, 2024
Here's the inside story: https://t.co/E3R2TZuOQt pic.twitter.com/DBDjzW8Tbv
“The news that Antić held meetings inside the European Parliament underscores the body’s vulnerability to state-backed influence operations. Earlier this month, POLITICO revealed spyware was found on the mobile phones of two lawmakers in the European Parliament,” Politico recalled.
Source: PAP, Politico
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