Serbian Intelligence Refutes Ukrainian Involvement in TurkStream Pipeline Explosives Discovery

Belgrade’s Military Security Agency confirms explosives found near TurkStream were U.S.-made, rejecting claims of Ukrainian involvement in pipeline sabotage.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 6, 2026, 10:35 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Ukrinform

Intelligence Director Dismisses Kyiv Sabotage Theory

Đuro Jovanić, the director of Belgrade's Military Security Agency (VBA), has issued a firm denial regarding Ukrainian involvement in a recent security incident near the TurkStream pipeline. Following the discovery of high-powered explosives near the infrastructure that transports Russian gas to Serbia and Hungary, Jovanić clarified that there is no evidence to support claims of a Ukrainian-organized operation. According to Jovanić, the nature of the explosive materials, which were hermetically sealed and specially packaged with detonator caps, does not point toward Kyiv as the perpetrator or the architect of the planned disruption.

Origin of Explosive Materials Identified

A critical component of the Serbian investigation involves the physical markings and manufacturing data found on the recovered devices. Jovanić noted that while the origin of a manufacturer does not inherently identify the party that ordered or executed an attack, the specific markings on these explosives indicate they were produced in the United States. This finding directly contradicts the narrative that the hardware was of Ukrainian origin, further distancing the Ukrainian government from the attempted sabotage in the Vojvodina region of Serbia.

Political Friction Between Regional Allies

The incident has highlighted a rare point of public divergence between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. While Vučić confirmed the discovery of an explosive with "devastating power" on Sunday, he did not immediately mirror Orbán’s direct accusations. Orbán, after convening an emergency National Defense Council meeting, had linked the event to Ukraine, alleging that Kyiv had spent years attempting to sever Europe’s access to Russian energy. The Serbian intelligence report now provides a factual counter-narrative to the Hungarian leader's rhetoric.