Serbian anticorruption protesters, riot police and supporters of President Aleksandar Vucic have faced off in central Belgrade as tens of thousands of people have turned out for the biggest antigovernment rallies in years.

Vučić can also take pride in his close ties with Moscow, as Belgrade has never enforced EU sanctions against Russia, despite Serbia holding official EU candidate status since 2012. Just days ago, Vučić stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin supported “the legitimate authorities of Serbia”.

Serbia witnessed massive anti-corruption protests in Belgrade, marking a significant challenge to President Aleksandar Vucic's leadership. Tensions escalated with sporadic violence but remained largely festive as students,