Belgrade staged one of its largest military parades in decades on September 20, rolling tanks and missile systems through the streets of New Belgrade and sending fighter jets roaring over the capital in a spectacle designed to showcase the power of the Serbian Armed Forces at a time of political tensions at home and increasing instability across the Western Balkans.

The “Strength of Unity” parade, organised to mark the Day of Serbian Unity, Freedom and the National Flag, brought together some 10,000 participants, according to the defence ministry. The Serbian military displayed roughly 2,500 weapons and pieces of equipment, including more than 600 vehicles, 70 aircraft and 20 naval vessels. For many, the highlight was the unveiling of 19 weapon systems being shown publicly for the first time — evidence of Serbia’s modernising arsenal.

President Aleksandar Vucic, who presided over the event, called the parade a symbol of stability and strength, and a guarantee of peace and security. Critics, however, denounced it as a political show of force aimed at intimidating citizens after months of anti-government protests and student blockades.

A carefully choreographed spectacle

The parade began with a 300-metre-long Serbian flag carried by soldiers, accompanied by an artillery salute and the national anthem. Patriotic songs, including Tamo Daleko and Ovo je Srbija, were broadcast over loudspeakers as the crowds — many bussed in from across the country — waved flags distributed by the army.

Foreign dignitaries were also on hand. Guests included the defence ministers of Cyprus, Hungary and Azerbaijan, the head of the French Air Force, senior Chinese and US military officials, as well as the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Their presence highlighted the breadth of Serbia’s partnerships, spanning Nato countries, Russia’s allies and Gulf monarchies.

Away from the official stage, the atmosphere was more fraught. Police cordons prevented students and citizens from approaching the main venue. Several witnesses reported being told by plainclothes officers that they could only pass individually and without banners.

Support for soldiers, not the government

Students from the University of Belgrade, who have led ten months of protests against the government, organised a parallel rally. Unlike their previous demonstrations, which challenged Vucic’s rule, Saturday’s gathering was explicitly framed as an expression of support for the soldiers themselves.

In a statement, the students declared that the military “is not private and personal, the army is the people’s”. They stressed three rules for the event: no insults against parade participants, no megaphones or whistles and only plain national flags without coats of arms.

The student movement sought to draw a line between ordinary soldiers and the political leadership that commands them. “You wanted to appropriate the flag for political purposes—we returned it to the people. You wanted to appropriate the anthem for political purposes—we returned it to the people. You wanted to appropriate the army for political purposes, we will return it to the people,” the statement read.

Serbia’s multi-vector foreign policy

The military hardware on display highlighted Serbia’s multi-vector foreign policy. Among the newly revealed acquisitions were Rafale multi-role fighter jets from France, anti-aircraft missile systems from China, surveillance drones from Israel and armoured vehicles from Russia.

Belgrade has long positioned itself as a militarily neutral, non-aligned state, refusing to join Nato while deepening cooperation with the alliance through the Ohio National Guard’s State Partnership Programme and regular joint exercises with US forces. At the same time, it maintains traditional defence ties with Moscow and cultivates close ties with Beijing.

This balancing act is not without risks. Serbia has been denounced by Moscow for indirectly supplying arms to Ukraine. In response, Serbia claimed it froze all arms exports earlier this year. At the same time, Vucic has drawn scorn from the EU, resisting sanctions against Russia while insisting he remains committed to EU membership.

Regional militarisation and security concerns

The parade comes amid heightened military activity across the Western Balkans. Croatia and Serbia have both sharply increased defence spending. Albania and Kosovo have announced plans to expand their armed forces and launch domestic defence industries.

In March, Albania, Croatia and Kosovo signed a trilateral defence memorandum aimed at improving interoperability through joint training and exercises. Belgrade condemned the pact as “provocative,” with Vucic accusing the signatories of triggering an arms race. “We will not be the first to fire,” he said in June, “but we must be ready.”

There are fears the combination of rising defence budgets, competing alliances and unresolved territorial disputes could reignite tensions in a region still scarred by the wars of the 1990s. Bosnia, where nationalist rhetoric is escalating, adds another layer of volatility.

While global attention is on Ukraine and the Middle East, the Balkans are quietly entering a phase of rearmament. The risk is not an imminent war, but a gradual erosion of trust and stability.

Authoritarian overtones

At home, the parade was widely seen as a demonstration of Vucic’s grip on power. The event took place on the same boulevards where police fired tear gas at anti-government demonstrators only a month ago. For opposition groups, the symbolism was deliberate: a reminder of who controls the streets.

Critics argue such parades serve less to bolster defence than to project political power. Vucic, whose Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has dominated politics for more than a decade, has been accused by critics of undermining democratic institutions, muzzling independent media and using the security services for political ends.

The foreign dignitaries lining the parade route reflected Serbia’s unusual diplomatic position. Just weeks earlier, Vucic attended China’s military parade marking the end of World War II. Earlier this year, he was a guest at Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade on Red Square, standing alongside Russian and Chinese officials but also Slovakia’s Robert Fico, the only EU leader present.

Belgrade’s participation in such events contrasts sharply with its outreach to NATO partners like the US and France. It also highlights the contradictions of a government that insists it seeks EU membership while refusing to align with Brussels on key security issues. The strategy allows Vucic to keep doors open to all sides, but it also risks leaving Serbia isolated if both East and West come to view its balancing act with suspicion.

A show of strength — or insecurity?

As tanks rumbled and jets roared over Belgrade, the parade projected an image of a confident, unified Serbia. Yet beneath the spectacle lay an undercurrent of insecurity: over rising regional militarisation, over Vucic’s contested domestic legitimacy and over the country’s uncertain geopolitical trajectory.

For some Serbs, the parade was a moment of pride, reaffirming their country’s military tradition and sovereignty. For others, it was a troubling reminder of authoritarian reflexes and the dangers of militarisation in a fragile region.