Serbian armed forces were put on a high combat alert upon an order from Commander-in-Chief and President Aleksandar Vucic, Defense Minister Milos Vucevic told the Tanjug news agency, APA reports citing TASS.
“The president of Serbia in the capacity of the supreme commander-in-chief has ordered to put the Serbian Army on high combat alert…,” the minister said. “It ups us to the highest level of actions, which the Serbian Army must follow protecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Serbia and its citizens.”
Serbian Interior Minister Bratislav Gasic said: “In line with the order of President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Alexandar Vucic, I have ordered to put on full combat alert all units of the Interior Ministry.”
Serbia’s Vecernje Novosti daily reported late on Monday citing sources close to a NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) that the authorities of the unrecognized Kosovo put their troops on full combat alert preparing for an operation on dismantling barricades in northern Kosovo and Metohija. According to the newspaper, about 1,500 servicemen received orders to remain at their deployment sites or within reach being ready for a possible relocation at the night time.