Serbian Agent Allegedly Infiltrates EU Institutions for Russia, Western Intel Reveals

Western intelligence reports suggest that Russian intelligence has been employing a Serbian agent to infiltrate EU institutions, disseminating pro-Kremlin narratives regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The revelations come from a briefing accessed by POLITICO, shedding light on the covert operations employed by Russia to influence EU affairs.

Serbian national Novica Antić has been identified as a key figure in these efforts, described as an active “agent of influence” knowingly collaborating with Russia’s security agency.

Antić’s involvement in meetings with European officials, including Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), as recently as October 2023, raises concerns about the extent of Russian influence within EU decision-making circles.

Among the MEPs reportedly meeting Antić are German Greens lawmaker Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Italian Socialists & Democrats lawmaker Alessandra Moretti, and Vladimír Bilčík from the European People’s Party Group.

Notably, there is no indication in the intelligence briefing that these MEPs were aware of Antić’s links to the FSB, Russia’s Federal Security Service.

Antić, chair of the Serbian Military Trade Union, has also engaged with representatives of EU trade unions, including EUROMIL and EPSU.

While EPSU officials maintain transparency about their meetings with Antić, the nature of discussions remains focused on trade union rights, according to reports.

The intelligence briefing identifies Antić as closely associated with Vyacheslav Kalinin, an FSB associate and editor-in-chief of Veteran News, a media outlet with ties to Russian security forces.

Despite inquiries, Kalinin has not responded to requests for comment, raising further questions about the depth of his involvement.

Antić’s actions are believed to be part of broader Russian efforts to undermine pro-EU and pro-NATO sentiments within Serbia and the European Union.

Leveraging his position within Serbia’s military union, Antić has openly criticized President Aleksandar Vučić and other senior officials, while promoting Russian propaganda related to the conflict in Ukraine.

The revelation of Antić’s activities within the European Parliament underscores vulnerabilities to state-backed influence operations.

This comes in the wake of recent discoveries of spyware on the mobile phones of two MEPs, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by foreign interference in EU affairs.

Despite requests for comment, Antić and his representatives have remained silent.

Kalinin’s invitations to Antić to meet with senior Russian military officials between 2019 and 2020 suggest a concerted effort to expand influence beyond Serbian civil society to European trade unions and veterans’ organisations.

Antić’s detention on unspecified charges, as reported by Balkan Insight, adds another layer of intrigue to this unfolding story.

Dismissed from Serbia’s military twice in the past five years, Antić’s current predicament and his reported hunger strike further fuel speculation about the nature of his alleged involvement in covert activities.

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