How a Pro-Russian Nationalist Movement Grew in Serbia – BBC News

Jul 20, 2023 | After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, countries around the world were forced to take sides. Most in the West sided with Ukraine, but in Serbia, a country with its own recent history of war, a sizable pro-Russian nationalist movement began to become more visible.

These groups not only align themselves with Moscow, but also present a clearly anti-Western perspective. Just over a week after Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, thousands of Serbs took to the streets of Belgrade. They waved Russian flags and held the pro-war Z signs and portraits of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

The organiser of the protest, Damjan Knezevic, took to the stage, calling for Serbs to support Russians. To understand why, reporter Jovana Geogievski, working with BBC Eye Investigations, followed the ultra-nationalist Knezevic over the next year.