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Serbian prosecutors confirmed Thursday that four people have been detained as part of an investigation into an organised group suspected of moving explosives and drones into European Union countries.
The group is suspected of obtaining explosives and drones in Serbia before transporting them to locations inside EU member states that had been planned and agreed upon in advance, prosecutors said in a statement.
Authorities said three other people are also believed to be part of the network, though it was not immediately clear whether they had been detained or were still being sought.
Prosecutors did not release the names, nationalities or further identifying details of those in custody.
The case originated after explosives were discovered near a gas pipeline on Serbia's northern border with Hungary in April, prosecutors said. The investigation into the broader smuggling network was formally opened June 12.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at the time that the explosives could have "caused significant damage to the pipeline," which carries Russian gas into Hungary.
Ukraine rejected claims made by members of the previous Hungarian government suggesting Kyiv was behind the attempt to target the pipeline.
Prosecutors said they have not linked the current investigation to a separate incident in Leipzig, Germany, but said they are cooperating with investigative authorities in other European countries.
The German magazine Der Spiegel reported separately that German investigators are examining whether there is a connection between an explosive-laden drone found at Leipzig airport last month and the arrest of two men carrying drone components and explosives on the Serbian-Hungarian border on June 11.
Earlier this week, Germany imposed sanctions on Moscow, accusing it of carrying out an attempted "hybrid attack" in connection with the Leipzig drone incident.
Serbia, a candidate for European Union membership, has maintained close ties with the Kremlin and is among the few European countries that have not imposed sanctions on Russia over its war in Ukraine. The country has repeatedly been identified as a base for Russian operations abroad.
A year ago, Serbian police arrested two people accused of running combat-tactical training for more than 150 protesters ahead of parliamentary elections in Moldova, a former Soviet republic bordering Ukraine and the EU.
Investigators said Russia was behind the scheme to train young Moldovans in tactics to use against police during protests at home.
Days later, 11 people were arrested in Serbia in connection with hate-motivated acts in France and Germany, including the defacing of Jewish sites and the placement of pig heads near mosques.
Local media, citing court documents, later reported that the group's orders, instructions and funding had come from Russian intelligence structures.
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