Alexander Vulin was born again in Moscow, this time as the Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Serbia. On this occasion, Vulin also laid a wreath on the grave of the former leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin.
The former head of the BIA intelligence agency, who is on the black list of the United States, among other things, because of his ties to Russia, met with representatives of the top military and police in Moscow, writes Radio Free Europe.
In the announcements from those meetings, it was assessed that "cooperation between Serbia and Russia" is at a high level.
Russia is under Western sanctions due to the invasion of Ukraine, which Serbia did not join, and Vulin has been in that country several times since the beginning of the war.
The topic of conversation in Russia, judging by the statements of the interlocutors there, is "how to resist the interference of Western countries in the internal affairs of sovereign states."
As Dragan Popović, director of the Center for Practical Politics, told the newspaper Danas, "Vulin is a clown and enjoys that status."
"That's why he does things that no one else would think of." I have no doubt that Stalin's methods are liked by a much larger number of people in power in Serbia, but they would not allow themselves to do what Vulin did," concludes Popović.
Who did Vulin meet in Moscow?
During his several-day visit to Moscow, Vulin met with the Secretary of the Security Council, Sergei Shoigu.
In the announcement of the Government of Serbia, it is stated that Vulin "expressed his satisfaction that he will continue cooperation and partnership in the matter of the security of the two countries".
While Shoigu announced, as reported by the Russian media, that he discussed with Vulin about "opposition to the interference of Western countries in the internal affairs of sovereign states."
The Russian state agency Ria Novosti reported the statement of Shoigu, who stated that Russia and Serbia are developing cooperation "despite unprecedented pressure from the West."
The Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia also met with the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia, Vladimir Kolokoltsev.
After that meeting, the Government of Serbia announced that they agreed that cooperation between Serbia and Russia in the field of security is at a high level, and that they discussed relations between the Russian and Serbian police.
Among the Russian interlocutors of Vulin was Deputy Minister of Russia Alexander Fomin, with whom he discussed cooperation in the field of security.
He also met with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Alexander Grushka.
Vulin thanked the Russian interlocutors for their support in the United Nations General Assembly and the vote against the Resolution on Srebrenica.
Awarded by Putin
The last time Vulin was in Russia was in April, when he met with the Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev in St. Petersburg.
He was previously in January when they awarded by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federal Security Service.
As stated, "he was honored for improving the cooperation between the Security and Information Agency (BIA) of Serbia and the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Russia in ensuring state security and protecting the national interests of Serbia and Russia."
After a meeting in December 2021 with Patrushev, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia, headed by Vulin at the time, announced that countries must resist "color revolutions".
Alexander Vulin resigned from his position as head of the BIA in early November, a few months after the United States blacklisted him.
Then he announced that he "has no right to sacrifice Serbia" in order to remain in office.
Vulin was placed on the US sanctions list in July 2023 for alleged corruption and involvement in drug trafficking, as well as ties to Russia.
After half a year without state office, Vulin returned to the Government of Serbia as a vice-president without portfolio.
The case of Kara-Murza
At one time, Russian opposition member Vladimir Kara-Murza accused Vulin of informing the first man of the Security Council of Russia, Nikolai Patrushev, about the meeting of Russian opposition members in Belgrade.
Vulin denied those allegations.
Following his arrest on April 11, 2022, Kara-Murza was accused of discrediting the Russian military after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of its eastern neighbor.
He was later accused of treason for statements he made in speeches outside Russia in which he criticized the Kremlin's policies. In 2023, Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
