Over 20 hours after the sabotage of the Ibar-Lepenac canal in Donje Varage, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić addressed the incident, denying any involvement by Serbia. Speaking via Instagram, Vučić dismissed allegations from Kosovo’s leadership as „baseless and reckless,“ emphasizing that Serbia remains committed to regional stability.
The Incident
The sabotage occurred around 7 p.m. yesterday when an explosive device was detonated at a key juncture of the canal in Zubin Potok’s Donje Varage area. The blast severely damaged the canal, causing water to flood into nearby homes, including the Lazarević family household, which sustained extensive damage.
The attack disrupted water supplies, impacting both drinking water and essential resources for the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK). While teams restored water flow to KEK overnight, drinking water access remains interrupted.
Kosovo Accuses Serbia
The incident prompted an emergency session of Kosovo’s National Security Council and a visit by Prime Minister Albin Kurti to the site early this morning. Kurti directly accused Serbia of orchestrating the attack, claiming it aligns with a „strategy of kinetic warfare“ and referencing similar actions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Kurti alleged that over 15 kilograms of explosives were used, targeting a critical energy resource to maximize damage. He also accused Serbia of financing and orchestrating criminal groups for such operations.
„The Kosovo Police are not against Serbs, but Serbia is against Kosovo. It finances, orchestrates, supports, and directs such criminal groups, which are on its payroll and part of its state structure. Therefore, we also blame Serbia for this and call on the international community, particularly Brussels and Washington, to condemn Belgrade and demand accountability from them. The silence of the President of Serbia is no coincidence. It is no coincidence that they are waiting to see the extent of the damage,“ Kurti said this morning.
Vučić Denies Allegations
In his response provided a few hours later, Vučić described Kosovo’s accusations as an attempt to tarnish Serbia’s reputation and derail peace efforts in the region.
„Baseless claims, made hastily and without evidence, raise legitimate questions about the motives behind such statements,“ Vučić said.
He called for a thorough, impartial investigation, offering Serbia’s technical and financial assistance to repair the canal and mitigate the attack’s consequences.
At a youth event in Belgrade, Vučić remarked on his measured response:
„Why would I rush to defend Serbia at 6 a.m. when they already know we’re not involved? No one needs to apologize for something they didn’t do.“
KFOR, EULEX, and Kosovo police forces remain stationed at the site, while Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica have been placed under heavy security.
In the meantime, a total of eight individuals were arrested related to the incident.
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