Serbia has acquired Chinese CM-400AKG air-to-surface ballistic missiles, making it the first European country to deploy the advanced weapon system, President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed late Thursday.

Speaking on Serbia’s state broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia, Vučić said the country has already received a “significant number” of the missiles and plans to expand its stockpile further. Images circulating online earlier in the week appeared to show the missiles mounted on Serbian military aircraft.

According to Vučić, Serbia’s air force has modified its Soviet-era Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets so they can carry the Chinese-made weapons.

The purchase highlights Serbia’s ongoing effort to balance relationships with Western institutions and its traditional partners. Belgrade maintains cooperation with NATO and seeks membership in the European Union, while also preserving longstanding ties with Russia and strengthening economic and defense links with China, a major investor in the country.

The move has drawn criticism from neighboring Croatia, a member of both NATO and the EU and Serbia’s wartime adversary during the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s. Croatian officials warned the missile purchase could destabilize the region, arguing it risks shifting the military balance and fueling an arms buildup in the Balkans.

The CM-400AKG, produced by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), is a supersonic missile capable of carrying either a 150-kilogram blast warhead or a 200-kilogram penetrator warhead. It has an operational range of up to 400 kilometers (about 248 miles).

The weapon system reportedly saw its first combat use during the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict of 2025, when Pakistan’s air force used it to target an Indian S-400 air defense system installation.