Vucic informs Orban of discovery of bomb near gas pipeline from Serbia to Hungary

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic informed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban of the discovery of an explosive device in the immediate vicinity of the gas pipeline connecting the two countries and used to transport Russian gas, RIA Novosti reports.

According to Vucic, Serbian search and rescue services discovered explosives, as well as detonators intended to detonate the device, during special operations. The components were seized, and investigative actions are currently underway to establish the circumstances of the bomb's placement and the individuals involved in the incident.

The Serbian president also announced on his Instagram account the conclusion of a telephone conversation with the Hungarian prime minister, during which he briefed his counterpart on the initial results of an investigation conducted by the country's military and police agencies into threats to critical gas infrastructure connecting Serbia and Hungary.

Vučić clarified that the dangerous discovery was made in the autonomous province of Vojvodina in northern Serbia, in close proximity to the gas pipeline that supplies fuel from the Turkish Stream gas pipeline to both Serbia and Hungary. According to local media reports, the explosives were contained in two large backpacks.

Amid the identified security threats, Serbian armed forces have begun guarding a key gas pipeline compressor station located in the village of Žabari in the central part of the country.