Serbian citizen Marko Matović, who died as a volunteer in the Russian army in early January in fighting in the Kursk region, was buried in the Belgrade neighborhood of Batajnica, right-wing Telegram channels report.
The obituary for his death, posted on Facebook by family members, states that he died a "heroic death in the Kursk region."
Part of the Kursk region, in western Russia, is under the control of Ukrainian forces. Since early January, Ukrainians have launched an offensive, preventing the opposing side from regaining control of this part of Russia.
The news that Matović lost his life in fighting in the Russian border area was published by several pro-Russian Telegram channels – "Russia in the Heart", "Serbian Herald", "Army of the Republika Srpska", "Eastern Front"...
According to the Serbian Army website, Matović is a former member of the 63rd Parachute Brigade of the Serbian Army. This is a tactical unit specialized in gathering intelligence and conducting special forces operations.
Information about Matović's death was also shared by Dejan Berić, a Serbian citizen who, as Radio Free Europe (RSE) previously reported, fought on the side of pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk, Ukraine, and who is considered one of the main recruiters of soldiers from the Balkans.
Berić stated that Matović joined a "special military operation" in December 2022 when he joined the Vukovi unit. RFE/RL cannot confirm the authenticity of this information.
The Wolves are a volunteer unit of the Russian Federation army that has come into the spotlight of the Balkan public due to allegations of the participation of numerous Serbian mercenaries.
The right-wing group People's Patrol also announced that Matović was their comrade from the period when they fought for "freedom during the Covid pandemic" and the man with whom they "defended the streets of Belgrade from attacks on people by illegal migrants."
The People's Patrols are a group of far-right activists who began their public appearances in 2020 and have repeatedly organized anti-migrant actions in several cities in Serbia. The movement's leader, Damjan Knežević, was detained in July 2020 for storming the Parliament during an anti-government protest over measures introduced during the coronavirus pandemic.
Marko Matović's Facebook profile also states that he is employed in the "Russian army", and that he moved to Russia, to the city of Krasnoyarsk, in March last year.
Incidentally, since 2014, participation in foreign wars has been a criminal offense punishable by up to eight years in prison in Serbia.
A detailed analysis of court records in Serbia from 2014 to September 2024 shows that 37 people were convicted for participating in the Ukrainian war and another for organizing such participation.
Prison sentences were imposed in six cases, while only one concerns engagement in the war after the escalation of the conflict in 2022.
Data on the number of Serbian citizens who died as volunteers fighting on the side of Russia in Ukraine is not officially available.
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