Oleksii Reznikov becomes latest official to be replaced in clamp down on corruption; Ukraine braces for possible major Russian offensive this month
In the past year, about 200,000 Russians have fled their homeland for Serbia; a nation that retains close ties to Moscow, but that has nevertheless condemned the latter’s invasion of Ukraine.
The AP reports that the Slavic country is Moscow’s closest European ally, with historic, religious and cultural ties that are bolstered by Kremlin political influence campaigns. Russia backs Serbia’s claim over its former province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008 with western support. And Serbia has refused to impose sanctions on Moscow over the invasion.
Here in Belgrade, we are not perceived with hostility, and that means a lot. I’ve been talking to a lot of Serbian people here and other foreigners. When they ask me ‘what are you doing here,’ I say: ‘We are against Putin and for a democratic Russia and we are against the war in Ukraine, obviously.
They did not choose this country but came here because it is the only one that would have them.
