Aleksandr Krasiy Appointed Assistant Military Attaché in Belgrade After Expulsion from Sofia
Five years after Bulgaria expelled Russian diplomat Aleksandr Krasiy and declared him persona non grata amid a sprawling espionage scandal, he has surfaced with a new diplomatic posting in Serbia. News.bg and Focus-news.net reported that Krasiy now serves as the assistant military attaché at the Russian embassy in Belgrade, appearing on official Serbian diplomatic rosters in 2026. Leaked Russian database records cited by investigative outlets link Krasiy to the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency, though neither Serbian authorities nor the Russian embassy in Belgrade have commented on his current diplomatic mission. Bulgarian media reported that Aleksandr Alexandrovich Krasiy obtained accreditation as assistant military attaché in Serbia this year, five years after Bulgarian reports stated he was expelled from the country over a spying scandal that erupted between Sofia and Moscow. The Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Bulgarian prosecution, did not respond to an inquiry by Radio Free Europe regarding this case.
Bulgarian Espionage Expulsion and Weapons Depot Blasts
The diplomatic reassignment stems from events in April 2021, when Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered Krasiy to leave the country. Focus-news.net and Dnes.bg reported that the expulsion coincided with a high-stakes Bulgarian prosecution investigation into a series of explosions at domestic ammunition depots and manufacturing facilities. Bulgarian media outlets, including Zona News and public broadcaster reports identified Krasiy as a lieutenant colonel and assistant military attaché shortly after the government’s announcement. Authorities instructed him to depart Bulgaria by May 5, 2021. Moscow consistently rejected the Bulgarian prosecutor’s allegations regarding Russian involvement in the warehouse blasts. Bulgarian institutions have not answered inquiries regarding whether Krasiy remains a subject of that ongoing investigation. The investigation involves Articles 104 and 109 of the Criminal Code. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expelled another Russian diplomat at the end of April 2021, marking another expulsion case as the Russian ambassador was summoned for a conversation, and although the ministry did not announce his identity, Bulgarian media did. Zona News stated it learned this from its sources, and later announced that the public media outlet took the information from them without citing the source. Krasiy arrived in Bulgaria at the beginning of that same year.
Public Appearances and Diplomatic Roster Expansion in Belgrade
Krasiy spent more than a year residing in Serbia following his departure from Sofia before securing formal accreditation. Gospodari.com and Taralež noted that while photographs captured Krasiy attending events at the Military Academy in Belgrade shortly after his expulsion, his name officially entered Serbia’s diplomatic list in 2026. Throughout April and May 2026, observers spotted him participating in official wreath-laying ceremonies ahead of the intergovernmental Serbian-Russian committee meeting, as well as marching in the Immortal Regiment procession, a ceremony created in Russia in 2012 in memory of fallen Red Army soldiers of World War II. Nikola Lunić, a former diplomat and security expert cited by Gospodari.com, stated that Belgrade maintains conditions that preserve Russian diplomatic footprints and expand intelligence capabilities. Official Serbian records show 79 accredited Russian diplomats in the country as of September 2026, compared to 62 in 2023.
Wider Pattern of European Union Expulsions to Serbia
Krasiy’s relocation is not an isolated diplomatic maneuver within the region. Focus-news.net and Gospodari.com reported that prior investigations identified at least three other Russian representatives who received new postings in Serbia after facing expulsion from various European Union member states. Investigative findings indicate that at least two of those individuals maintain suspected ties to Russian intelligence services. Neither the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Russian embassy in Belgrade has issued statements addressing the influx of expelled personnel into Serbian diplomatic missions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Aleksandr Krasiy
When did Aleksandr Krasiy officially appear on Serbia’s diplomatic list?
Krasiy’s name appeared in Serbia’s official diplomatic directory in 2026 as an assistant military attaché, five years after his expulsion from Bulgaria.
What specific events was Krasiy photographed attending in Belgrade?
Dnes.bg reported that Krasiy attended events at the Military Academy in Belgrade, a wreath-laying ceremony in April 2026, and the Immortal Regiment procession in May 2026.
How many Russian diplomats are currently registered in Serbia?
Gospodari.com noted that Serbia’s diplomatic list recorded 79 Russian diplomats in September 2026, marking an increase from 62 representatives recorded in 2023.
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