Serbian security services, working jointly with Russia’s Federal Security Service, conducted experiments using high-powered acoustic devices on dogs at a Serbian intelligence testing facility, according to information that became public on January 15, 2026. The tests took place roughly two weeks after Serbian authorities were accused of deploying sound weapons to disperse a major anti-government protest in Belgrade, a controversy later addressed in reporting on documents detailing Serbia’s intelligence cooperation with Russia and LRAD testing.
The experiments reportedly involved two long-range acoustic device models, the LRAD 100X MAG-HS and LRAD 450XL, manufactured by California-based company Genasys. Technical specifications indicate the devices can emit sound levels of up to 150 decibels, comparable to the noise of a jet engine at take-off, raising concerns that the testing may have been conducted without the permits normally required for animal experiments.
Experiments follow disputed use of sound weapons against protesters
The joint testing emerged in the aftermath of a large anti-government demonstration in Belgrade on March 15, 2025, when a sudden, overwhelming noise triggered panic among crowds. Protesters later reported symptoms including nausea, vomiting, headaches and dizziness after seeking medical assistance, fuelling allegations that sound cannons had been used by security forces.
President Aleksandar Vučić initially denied that such devices had been deployed. He later announced a rapid investigation, promising accountability for what he described as false accusations. About a month after the protest, Serbia’s intelligence agency published a report it had commissioned from Russia’s FSB, concluding that high-noise devices had not been used and that there had been no mass psychological or physical impact on demonstrators.
Questions over credibility and political motives
The decision to rely on an assessment by the Russian security service has drawn scepticism from critics, who argue it suggests an attempt to legitimise a predetermined conclusion and contain political fallout. Russia’s security agencies are widely viewed as operating under direct political control, raising doubts about their independence and the objectivity of such findings.
In this context, the report is seen by observers less as a fact-finding exercise and more as part of an information strategy aimed at denying the use of sound weapons and shielding Serbian security structures from responsibility. The fact that Russian personnel reportedly took part directly in sensitive experiments points to a high level of trust and operational cooperation between the two services.
Broader implications for Serbia and the European Union
The revelations sit uneasily with Serbia’s declared ambition to join the European Union. Cooperation with the FSB, an organisation associated with repression of political opponents and targeted killings, is viewed by some EU officials as incompatible with European standards on human rights and the rule of law, and potentially problematic for EU security if integration advances.
Russia’s activity in Serbia is also seen as part of a broader Balkan strategy linked to its confrontation with the West amid the war against Ukraine. By deepening security ties, Moscow seeks to maintain influence and instability in a region seen as a strategic distraction for the EU and NATO. For Brussels, allegations of unethical experiments and close intelligence cooperation with Russia add to arguments for reassessing Serbia’s accession trajectory and the conditions attached to it.
