On the evening of November 3, 2026, an Air Serbia aircraft operating flight JU134 from Belgrade to Moscow was turned around in Lithuanian airspace and returned to its departure airport. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing newsmaxbalkans.com, while RFI also confirmed the turnaround. According to sources, a delegation was on board to discuss a gas agreement with the Russian side.

Who Was on Board and Why the Plane Was Turned Around

Among the passengers, according to reports, were Socialist Movement Chairman Aleksandar Vulin, Serbian People's Party leader Nenad Popović, and Dušan Bajatović, director of the state gas company Srbijagas. Reports indicate that while over Lithuania, the crew received information from local authorities regarding the need to apply additional security measures to one of the passengers. Following this, a decision was made to return the aircraft to Belgrade, and the flight to Moscow was aborted.

Speculation Regarding the Passenger's Identity

Serbian media suggest that the individual in question was Aleksandar Vulin, who is subject to US sanctions. However, neither official figures nor the carrier in the public statements cited in the source confirmed publicly which specific passenger was referred to; available formulations merely mention "one of the passengers" for whom additional security measures were required.

Political Context: Change of Power in Belgrade

The event took place against the backdrop of recent early parliamentary elections in Serbia held on October 25, 2026. According to the election commission, the "Student List" surpassed the party of former President Aleksandar Vučić by more than 13 percentage points and won in 22 cities, including Belgrade. The elections followed nearly two years of student protests triggered by the deaths of 16 people when a station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad in 2024.

Gas Negotiations Against the Backdrop of a Course Shift

The return of the delegation flying to discuss a gas agreement draws increased attention to how Serbia's new political configuration will affect relations with Russia. As RBC-Ukraine reported, future Student List MP Jovo Bakić stated in an interview with RT Balkan that Serbia's new government will not impose sanctions against Russia, arguing that such measures would change nothing for Moscow while harming Serbia itself. Thus, the flight turnaround incident has become a prominent episode at the intersection of energy diplomacy and domestic political restructuring in Belgrade.