Serbia's Pobednik 2026 joint exercise has moved into a second phase at multiple locations, the Serbian Armed Forces said on 17 September. Land Forces units are practising offensive combat actions, including marches and the use of newly introduced weapons and observation equipment. [1][2]
The exercise began in late August and is scheduled to continue until the first week of October. Its earlier public live-fire phase at Pešter involved more than 2,000 personnel and over 500 pieces of equipment. [1][3][4]
ContextPresident Aleksandar Vučić and senior Serbian officials attended the Pešter phase alongside Republika Srpska officials. That attendance added a regional political dimension, but Pobednik remains a military exercise rather than a reported combat operation. [3][5]
Adds the documented second phase at multiple locations and the exercise timetable through early October.
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Serbia stages Pobednik 2026 live-fire exercise with 2,000 personnel
The Pešter demonstration featured more than 500 pieces of equipment and newly introduced systems including PULS launchers.
Serbia held the main public phase of its Pobednik 2026 joint live-fire exercise at the Pešter training area on 13 September. The Defence Ministry said more than 2,000 personnel and over 500 major pieces of military equipment took part in this phase.
Army, air-force, air-defence, special-operations and military-police units rehearsed an offensive operation. The display included MiG-29 aircraft, HQ-17AE and PASARS air-defence systems, unmanned platforms and PULS and RM-70 Vampire multiple-launch rocket systems; the ministry said PULS fired publicly for the first time since entering Serbian service.
ContextPresident Aleksandar Vučić and senior Serbian officials attended alongside Republika Srpska officials including Savo Minić and Milorad Dodik. Their attendance gives the exercise a regional political dimension, but the event itself was a Serbian military drill rather than a combat operation.
