Serbian Presidents Unexpected Baku Stop Amid Ukraines Largest Drone Assault on Russia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s journey to Moscow for this week’s Victory Day celebrations included a stopover in Azerbaijan, as Ukrainian drone strikes led to the suspension of air traffic across Russia for several hours, as reported by Serbian and Russian media on Wednesday.

Vučić is one of over twenty world leaders anticipated to partake in the May 9 parade on Red Square, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.

As per the Serbian tabloid Informer, Vučiću’s plane had to make an «emergency landing» in Baku while waiting for authorization to continue to Moscow. Conversely, Russia’s state news agency TASS characterized the stop as «planned,» noting that the Serbian Embassy in Moscow still anticipated his arrival by Thursday.

There were varying accounts regarding the reason for the detour, which was attributed either to the need for refueling or to a lack of landing permission in Moscow, due to airport closures resulting from ongoing drone attacks earlier on Wednesday.

Russian state television later showed Vučić disembarking from his aircraft after arriving in Moscow.

Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, Russia’s ambassador to Serbia, who met with Vučić prior to his departure on Wednesday morning, accused Western nations of trying to obstruct the Serbian leader’s visit, labeling it an act of “neo-Nazism.” The ambassador seemed to be referring to the Baltic states restricting their airspace for world leaders traveling to Russia for the Victory Day festivities.

Vučić’s arrival coincides with Ukraine’s most extensive drone assault on Russia to date, prompting authorities to close airports in the capital and nearby areas repeatedly. Russia’s Association of Tour Operators indicated that these disruptions impacted at least 60,000 travelers.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported the destruction of 524 Ukrainian drones overnight across five regions, marking the largest series of drone attacks since President Vladimir Putin initiated the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The ministry also stated that several rockets were intercepted.

Putin declared a unilateral ceasefire lasting 72 hours from midnight on May 8 to May 11 to honor Victory Day. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the ceasefire, proposing instead a 30-day truce.