Authors: Fatbardh Dema and Etrit Rexhepi
On September 14, the information portal "Nacionale.com"has published a video material on the official Facebook page, which carries the description "What's happening? Numerous Serbian military forces in the direction of the border with Kosovo two days before the Hague decision. A reader of Gazeta Nacionale, a well-known name and reliable source, has sent a video to our editorial office, where a long motorized convoy of Serbian army vehicles can be seen near the village of Ribaric."
This video was later published by several other Facebook pages (see here).
What is shown in the video?
This video footage shows a long column of military vehicles moving down a narrow road surrounded by trees. In the visible part of the video, the military vehicles are shown moving towards the camera.
The footage shows several military vehicles in a row, but there are no road signs, identification marks or other clear elements that would allow for the precise determination of the location or destination of the convoy. For this reason, it cannot be determined from the video itself whether the convoy was moving towards the border with Kosovo.
What is known?
During September 13-15, 2026, the Serbian Army conducted extensive military activities within the framework of the joint tactical live-fire exercise "Pobednik 2026".
The main activities took place at the temporary military training ground "Pešter" (Peshter), in the Sjenica area.
According to official announcement of the Serbian Army, in the final phase of the first part of the exercise in Peshter, more than 2,000 members of the Serbian Army and over 500 main military equipment were engaged.
Units of the Land Forces, Air Force and Air Defense, as well as special forces and military police, participated in the exercise.
According to the same source, modernized tanks and armored vehicles, aircraft and helicopters, missile systems, artillery, as well as unmanned and robotic platforms were used in the activity.
Military vehicles were relocated before the exercise
Activities in Peshter did not begin on September 13. In the previous days, some of the military forces and equipment had been moved towards the training area.
In a report of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), on September 9, the commander of the 98th Airborne Brigade, Brigadier General Aleksandar Milicevic, said that a part of the forces and equipment had been relocated from their permanent locations to the area of the temporary "Pešter" polygon.
According to him, the exercise began with the march of a company of a Land Forces battalion from the wider area of Mount Zvornik, while other Land Forces units and special forces were then brought to the Peshter area.
This indicates that the movement of military vehicles and units was part of planned preparations for the exercise.
What happened on September 13th?
On September 13, the main activity of the "Pobednik 2026" exercise took place in Peshter.
According to RTS, around 2,000 members of the Serbian Army and over 500 major military equipment participated in the presentation of the capabilities of Serbian forces.
The scenario included actions of a combat operation and the use of new and modernized systems.
RTS also reported that a general rehearsal of the exercise took place in Peshter, while among the systems to be presented were two new multi-barrel missile systems.
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, was also present at the September 13 event.
Although the main live-fire activity took place on September 13, the activities of the first phase of the exercise were planned to continue until September 15.
The Serbian Army announced on September 11th that the participating units had been on the ground since the middle of last week and that the intensive activities at the range would end on September 13 with the training of a reinforced tactical group.
September 14 – Artillery Day
On September 14, Serbia marks Artillery Day. According to Official website of the Serbian Army, September 14 is associated with the beginning of artillery preparation for the breakthrough of the Salonika Front on September 14, 1918.
The same date also marks the Day of the Mixed Artillery Brigade.
Institutional statements
Public announcements by the Kosovo Police and the US Embassy warned of large activities and demonstrations on September 16, the day when the verdict is expected to be announced in the trial in The Hague against former KLA leaders, as well as the possible consequences for traffic and public safety (see here and here).
In another announcement published on 14 September, the Kosovo Police announced that, in relation to the developments foreseen for 16 September, it has taken the necessary police measures to guarantee security, maintain public order and peace and ensure the smooth running of activities. The Police also announced that it has held coordination meetings with international institutions and partners and that, depending on developments, there may be temporary restrictions or interruptions to traffic on the affected roads (see here).
Meanwhile, on 14 September, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the Alliance’s commitment to maintaining peace and security in Kosovo would remain unchanged, regardless of developments that may follow the verdict against the four former KLA leaders. Responding to a question about the possibility of violent unrest, Rutte stressed that KFOR would continue to contribute to stability and security in Kosovo, while NATO would continuously assess the composition and deployment of KFOR troops in line with the security situation (see here).
So, although the Kosovo Police has mentioned the possibility that certain individuals or elements, including from abroad, may attempt to exploit the large gatherings for provocations, incidents or destabilizing actions, the reactions of the Kosovo Police, the US Embassy and NATO do not mention any movement of Serbian forces towards the border with Kosovo or any direct military threat from Serbia. On the contrary, their statements and announcements are related to the management of the activities and demonstrations planned for September 16.
cONcluSiON
What is known from official sources is that September 13–15 coincided with a period of increased Serbian military activity.
The main phase of the “Pobednik 2026” exercise took place in Peshter, with the participation of more than 2,000 soldiers and over 500 pieces of major military equipment. Prior to this, part of the forces and equipment had been moved from permanent locations to Peshter, and the exercise also included a march of units.
September 14th marked the Artillery Day of the Serbian Army, while the activities of the first phase of the exercise took place during this period.
Meanwhile, the institutional statements of the Kosovo Police, the US Embassy and NATO, cited above, do not mention any direct military danger from Serbia or any external threat to Kosovo's security.
These institutions talk about security measures, possible demonstrations, maintaining order and stability, as well as the possibility of incidents or provocations during large gatherings, but not about any Serbian military preparations against Kosovo.