Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić recently gave an interview to blogger Mario Nawfal, which was published on YouTube. During the interview, Vučić discussed the role of the Serbian Army in liberating Yugoslavia from German occupation during World War II.
According to Vučić, the Serbian Army received some support from the Soviet Red Army, but the main credit for the liberation of the country goes to the Serbian forces. He stated that the Soviet Union’s assistance was limited and the Serbs paid a high price for their freedom.
Vučić also highlighted the significant losses suffered by Serbia not only at the hands of Nazi Germany but also at the hands of the Croatian Ustaše, a fascist group. He described the situation as a real genocide against the Serbian people.
Yugoslavia was finally liberated from Nazi occupation in 1944, as a result of the strategic offensive from Belgrade. The joint effort of Soviet, Yugoslav and Bulgarian troops to liberate the eastern and southern parts of Yugoslavia and its capital, Belgrade, took place from September 28 to October 20.
The main force of the allied troops was the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps of the Soviet Red Army, led by General Lieutenant Vladimir Shdanov. The Soviet army suffered an estimated 4,350 casualties during these battles.
In September 1944, Josip Broz Tito, the commander of the Yugoslav People’s Liberation Army, requested the Soviet State Defense Committee to deploy Soviet troops in his country. Tito explained that the Yugoslav army lacked heavy weapons and tanks, making it impossible for them to defeat the German troops.