Politico: Serbia Allowed Putin's Spies To Test "sonic Cannons" On Dogs
5- 15.01.2026, 13:23
- 4,094
About two weeks after a large-scale protest in Belgrade.
Serbian special services in cooperation with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) tested so-called sound cannons on dogs. This is according to government documents seen by Politico.
The authors of the article note that the documents confirm: the administration of Serbian President Alexandar Vucic experimented with powerful loudspeakers, known as sound cannons, about two weeks after a large-scale anti-government rally in Belgrade. At that time, the protest was disrupted by a sudden loud sound, which participants described as a paralyzing sonic boom.
"The joint tests of sonic weapons on animals demonstrate the depth of cooperation between Russia - one of the EU's most aggressive opponents - and Serbia, a candidate country for EU membership where authorities are now under severe pressure," Politico wrote.
The devices in question are LRADs (Long-Range Acoustic Devices), which are officially positioned as long-range communication tools. However, when used at close range, they can cause hearing damage as well as headaches, dizziness and nausea.
Serbia is experiencing its biggest wave of protests in decades. For more than a year, tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across the country, expressing their growing discontent with the government. In particular, on March 15, 2025, during one of the largest protests, a sharp, deafening sound was heard on Belgrade's main avenue. People instinctively rushed to hide. Video from various angles captured how a wave of panic swept through the crowd. Protesters who went to hospitals complained of nausea, vomiting, headaches and dizziness. Some compared the sound to the approach of a "column of motorcycles" or a "locomotive".
Vucic first denied the accusations, then promised a "full investigation within 48 hours" and punishment for those spreading "gross fabrications and lies". Interior Minister Ivica Dacic also denied any wrongdoing, saying Serbia "did not use any illegal means, in particular the so-called sound cannons."
A month after the protest, Serbia's BIA intelligence service released a report commissioned by the Russian Federal Security Service. It claimed that high-decibel devices "were not used during the protests" and that there was no massive "psychological, moral or physical impact on people."
Animal experiments
According to the documents, Politico's authors note, animal testing was part of the post-protest investigation. The goal was to determine whether the symptoms described by protesters were consistent with the effects of the sonic cannons, the presence of which police Serbian officials had previously acknowledged.
About two weeks after the protest, Serbian and Russian experts assembled a group of dogs at the BIA firing range to assess "the effects of the emitters on biological objects." The dogs were chosen because of their "high sensitivity to acoustic effects".
The animals were exposed to two models of LRADs - 100X MAG-HS and 450XL, manufactured by the American company Genasys - at distances of 200, 150, 100, 50 and 25 meters. According to the technical specifications, these devices can emit a sound of up to 150 decibels - roughly like a jet engine during takeoff.
Documents also indicate that the tests may have been conducted without the mandatory permits. Serbia's Agriculture Ministry said it had not received any requests for approval of animal experiments and therefore did not issue permits.
Serbian human rights lawyer Danilo Ćurčić said the actions against the dogs fell within the definition of experimentation or cruelty prohibited by the Animal Protection Law. The law explicitly prohibits the use of animals for testing weapons and military equipment.
Opposition politician Radomir Lazovic called the tests "part of Aleksandar Vucic's campaign to cover up the use of sound cannons against his own citizens."
"Thousands of people felt the massive impact of these sonic weapons last year," he said.
In its report on the experiments, however, the Russian FSB insists that the dogs allegedly "did not experience any discomfort" during the signals, and three days after the tests, no abnormalities were allegedly found in the animals' condition.
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