Plane carrying Vučić allies bound for Moscow turned back over Lithuania

In brief

• An Air Serbia flight from Belgrade to Moscow was turned back to Belgrade while over Lithuania.
• The airline said authorities asked for an extra security check on one passenger, which media identified as Aleksandar Vulin.
• Vulin says he passed all airport checks; some reports claim he was not screened and was boarded anyway, which is unconfirmed.

Flight turned back mid-route

The Air Serbia plane left Belgrade's Nikola Tesla airport on the evening of 3 November, bound for Moscow. Reports say it was over southern Lithuania when the crew was told to return to Belgrade, and it landed back in Serbia (Літак із сербською делегацією розвернули над Литвою під час польоту до Москви: що трапилося – Espreso) (Сербский самолет с пророссийскими политиками развернули по пути в Россию – NV) (Самолет с соратниками Вучича направлялся в Москву, но его развернули над Литвой – Charter 97).

Passengers on board

Among those aboard were Aleksandar Vulin, leader of the Movement of Socialists, Nenad Popović, head of the Serbian People's Party, and Dušan Bajatović, director of the state gas company Srbijagas (Літак із сербськими політиками, які прямували до Москви, розвернули над Литвою: що сталося – UNIAN) (Сербський літак з проросійськими посадовцями розвернули на півдорозі до Москви – Європейська правда). Vulin said the delegation was travelling to Moscow to negotiate a gas agreement.

Security check

Air Serbia confirmed the aircraft was returned after receiving a notice from competent authorities that one passenger needed additional security measures. Media reports identified that passenger as Vulin. Vulin said he had passed all required checks at the airport and denied reports that he was carrying large sums of cash or gold. He told Informer TV he had gone to Moscow on business to save the gas deal, not as a tourist.

Some reports, however, said Vulin had not passed the security check at the airport and had been taken on board anyway. This information has not been confirmed. Bajatović told N1 that all passengers and luggage were thoroughly searched after the unplanned return, and that he did not know the reason for the trip of his fellow passengers. Reports said the flight could resume once the aircraft and baggage were inspected and the crew changed.

Political context

The plane incident comes after early parliamentary elections at the end of October, in which the party of former president Aleksandar Vučić lost. The Student List won. Its representatives have said they will not impose sanctions on Russia and will keep Moscow as a key historical partner.