Information about the import of the tanks became public for the first time in July, when the Serbian ambassador to Moscow, Miroslav Lazanski, said that Romania was breaking the Convention on the Navigation on the Danube by not allowing the shipment of military vehicles by river through its country due to an EU embargo on Russian arms acquisitions imposed after the annexation of Crimea. “The relevant authorities will inform the public in due time of the details of this legal transaction, to an extent consistent with the contract that has been concluded, with the consent of the other contracting party and to the extent of the information that can be disclosed,” it added.

“We are not able to provide any information and answers to questions because the data that has been requested is foreign secret data which means it has been entrusted to the Republic of Serbia with an obligation to keep it secret,” the ministry said in a written response to BIRN’s enquiry. Serbia’s Defence Ministry told BIRN that it cannot provide information about the contractual conditions under which it is acquiring 30 modernised T-72 tanks from Russia – which officials have described as a donation – without getting Moscow’s consent.

Visitors examine a Russian T-72 tank at the Army Games 2019 in the Moscow region on August 3.

Where to buy a military tank