Serbian defense company official killed in Moscow

Key Points
  • Serbia is seeking explanations from Russia after Yugoimport SDPR representative Radomir Kurtic was found dead in Moscow on November 17, 2025.
  • Serbian authorities say Russian officials have not provided forensic findings or official information and that documents and computer hard drives are missing from Yugoimport’s Moscow office.

Serbian authorities are seeking explanations from Russia following the death of a representative of Serbia’s state-owned defense company Yugoimport SDPR, who was found dead in Moscow under what Serbian officials describe as suspicious circumstances.

According to Serbian officials, Radomir Kurtic, a representative of Yugoimport SDPR, was found dead in Moscow on November 17, 2025. Despite the incident occurring more than a month ago, Serbian authorities say the Russian side has not provided official information regarding the circumstances of his death and has declined to comment, even to Serbian counterparts.

Belgrade is also seeking clarification regarding the reported disappearance of company documents and computer equipment from Yugoimport SDPR’s Moscow office following the incident. Serbian officials say that hard drives and a large volume of documents were found missing after an internal review conducted by the company.

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Serbian media reported that the country’s intelligence services submitted a report on Kurtic’s death to President Aleksandar Vučić, concluding that the circumstances surrounding the incident should be considered suspicious. According to the report, Russian authorities have not shared forensic findings or any official conclusions with the Serbian Embassy in Moscow, Yugoimport SDPR’s local office, or Serbia’s security services.

Kurtic was in Moscow for the second time in his role as a representative of Yugoimport SDPR, according to Serbian officials. After the incident, a commission from the company inspected the Moscow office and confirmed the disappearance of a large number of documents as well as hard drives removed from office computers.

As reported by Serbian outlets, Vučić addressed the issue during a meeting with representatives of Serbia’s security services and Yugoimport SDPR, stressing that conclusions should not be drawn prematurely. He emphasized that no one should be accused until credible and verified evidence is available.

In a later interview with Serbia’s public broadcaster RTS, Vučić said Serbia is awaiting formal responses from Russian authorities and will continue to press for clarity.

“We are waiting for a response from the Russian authorities. Official invitations, requests, and demands have been sent to them. We know that certain hard drives have disappeared, that some other things are missing, but that does not necessarily mean that it is connected with the events themselves. So this could also be a routine service operation, when they establish the identity of someone on the street,” Vučić said.

The Serbian president added that he expects Russian authorities to provide the requested information in the near future and said he would “fight to find out the truth” about Kurtic’s death, while avoiding speculation.

Russian authorities have not publicly commented on the case. According to Serbian officials, no forensic conclusions or official investigative findings have been provided to Serbian institutions, including diplomatic channels or security services.

The incident has drawn attention in Serbia due to Yugoimport SDPR’s role as the country’s primary state defense exporter, responsible for arms production, procurement, and international defense cooperation. The unexplained death of one of its representatives abroad, combined with the reported loss of sensitive materials, has raised concerns within Serbia’s political and security community.

Some Serbian commentary has referenced previous unexplained deaths of defense-industry personnel in several European countries, which have been publicly discussed as potential intelligence-related cases.

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