An Air Serbia flight to Moscow returned to Belgrade after reports, not yet confirmed by any official source, that opposition leader Aleksandar Vulin boarded without a mandatory security check.
- Flight JU134 left Belgrade at 6:48 pm and turned around over southern Lithuania before landing back in Belgrade shortly before 10 pm.
- Nova.rs reports that Milan Kuc, Belgrade Airport's corporate security director, ordered the return after reviewing security footage.
- Nova.rs also reported, citing unofficial information, that Dušan Bajatović and Nenad Popović were on board.
- The flight will not be canceled and is scheduled to depart after a thorough security inspection and a crew change.
- Air Serbia, the Civil Aviation Directorate and the named individuals had not responded at the time of publication.
An Air Serbia flight bound for Moscow returned to Belgrade on Tuesday evening after it was reportedly discovered that Aleksandar Vulin, leader of the Movement of Socialists, had boarded without going through security screening. The account comes from the portal Nova.rs and has not been confirmed by any official source.
According to Nova.rs, Vulin boarded Flight JU134 without undergoing the mandatory security check. The portal's sources allege that someone helped him do so.
Who ordered the return
Nova.rs reported that the order to turn the aircraft around was given by Milan Kuc, director of corporate security at Belgrade Airport and a former member of the Special Purpose Military Police Detachment known as the "Cobras". Its sources said Kuc reviewed security camera footage, saw that proper procedures had been violated and ordered the plane back.
The flight will not be canceled, Nova.rs learned. It is scheduled to depart after a thorough security inspection and a change of crew.
Other reported passengers
Nova.rs had earlier reported, citing unofficial information, that Dušan Bajatović, chief executive of the state gas company Srbijagas, and Nenad Popović, leader of the Serbian People's Party, were also on the flight. This has not been officially confirmed either.
Flight details
Flight JU134 left Belgrade at 6:48 pm and turned around over southern Lithuania. Flight-tracking websites showed the aircraft being redirected to Belgrade, where it landed shortly before 10 pm. Moscow airports were open and operating normally throughout the evening, according to the source.
During the evening, JU134 was the most tracked flight in the world on the Flightradar24 website.
No official response so far
N1 asked Air Serbia and the Civil Aviation Directorate for comment but had received no reply by the time of publication. It also tried to reach Vulin and Bajatović, but neither was available.
Until the airline, the aviation authority or the people named respond, the sequence of events remains based on unnamed sources cited by Nova.rs. For more updates, see the latest news section.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Air Serbia flight JU134 return to Belgrade?
Nova.rs reported that the aircraft was turned back after it was allegedly discovered that Aleksandar Vulin had boarded without passing through security screening. This has not been confirmed by any official source.
Who allegedly ordered the flight to turn around?
According to Nova.rs sources, Milan Kuc, director of corporate security at Belgrade Airport, reviewed security camera footage and ordered the plane back. Air Serbia has not commented on this claim.
Will flight JU134 still travel to Moscow?
Nova.rs learned that the flight will not be canceled. It is scheduled to depart after a thorough security inspection and a change of crew.
Have Air Serbia or the authorities confirmed the reports?
No. At the time of publication, Air Serbia and the Civil Aviation Directorate had not replied to requests for comment, and the named individuals were not available to respond.
