Serbia takes delivery of advanced Chinese anti-aircraft missile system

Y-20 transport aircraft delivered the anti-aircraft missile system to Serbia over the weekend (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

Russian ally Serbia took the delivery of a sophisticated Chinese anti-aircraft system in a veiled operation this weekend, amid Western concerns that an arms build-up in the Balkans at the time of the war in Ukraine could threaten the fragile peace in the region.

Media and military experts said on Sunday that six Chinese Air Force Y-20 transport planes landed at Belgrade’s civilian airport early on Saturday, reportedly carrying HQ-22 surface-to-air missile systems for the Serbian military.