Serbia’s president confirmed late on March 12 that the country possesses Chinese-made supersonic surface-attack missiles after images circulating online appeared to show the weapons mounted on Serbian fighter jets.

Photos shared online appeared to show a Serbian Air Force Mikoyan MiG-29 carrying two Chinese-made CM-400AKG missiles, indicating Belgrade may have become the first European operator of the system.

President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed the acquisition in an interview with Serbia’s public broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia (RTS).

“We have things we do not show,” Vucic said when asked about the weapons. “We have a significant number of those missiles, and we will have even more.”

According to Military Watch Magazine, the missile is an export version of China’s YJ-12 and can travel at close to hypersonic speeds, significantly expanding the strike capabilities of Serbia’s MiG-29 fleet.

Vucic said similar systems had proven effective in fighting between Pakistan and India.

“They destroyed the S-400 radar system. That’s where Chinese weapons proved to be exceptional,” he said, adding that Serbia possesses other military capabilities not yet publicly disclosed.

The confirmation comes as Serbia deepens defence cooperation with China, which has become a major economic and strategic partner. The two countries held their first joint military exercise in Hebei province in July 2025.

The development also comes amid rising defence spending and political tensions in the Western Balkans. Vucic has previously warned of a potential “arms race” in the region after Albania, Croatia and Kosovo signed a trilateral defence cooperation agreement last year, which Belgrade criticised as destabilising.

Serbia, a candidate for membership in the European Union, remains outside the Nato alliance and has expanded its military capabilities in recent years while maintaining a policy of neutrality.

Belgrade has simultaneously strengthened defence ties with Western partners. In August 2024 it agreed to purchase French-made Dassault Rafale jets in a deal valued at about €2.7bn.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said Zagreb would raise concerns within Nato about the deployment of the new missiles.

Vucic rejected criticism of the military buildup, saying the measures were intended to strengthen national defence.

“Everything we do is to defend our country,” he said.