Serbia shuts down Russian 'military patriotic' youth camp
Police in Serbia stopped the activities of the “military and patriotic youth camps that was create by Russian and Serbian ‘patriotic’ veteran organizations,” reported Blic news outlet. “The camp on Zlatibor no longer exists,” Serbian Minister of Interior Nebojša Stefanović stated.
The Minister said that he ordered the camp eliminated because of public concern and possible child abuse. He added that the Serbian authorities were in the final stages of dismantling the camp.
The camp’s closure was confirmed by its organizer, Zeljko Vukelic. “It’s just something that happened. We got a ban from the police of Užice. They arrived in the camp in the evening, at about 10 p.m. and asked us to close it,” he said.
The camp had been a popular mountain resort in Serbia that was frequented by about thirty people aged 14 to 23. Youths were taught first aid skills and to use cold-steel weapons and firearms. “Serbian-Russian friendship” was widely promoted in the camp.
Recently, a leader of Kosovo made an emergency statement regarding rising tensions with Serbia.