Serbian Army marks the day of its air-defence artillery-missile units and the “Čačak” technical institute

The Serbian Army has marked the Day of the artillery-missile units for air defence, as well as the Day of the “Čačak” Technical Overhaul Institute, as Telegraf.rs reports, citing the Serbian Ministry of Defence.

On this occasion, a solemn gathering was held at the Command of the Air Force and Air Defence in Zemun, while the central ceremony took place at the “Banjica” barracks in Belgrade. There, a ceremonial parade of the units of the 250th Air Defence Missile Brigade was held, wreaths were laid at the monuments in Zemun and at the Banjica barracks, and awards and commendations were presented to the most distinguished individuals. The ceremonies were joined by the commander of the Air Force and Air Defence, Major General Brane Krnjajić.

The day of this branch is marked in memory of September 30, 1915, when soldier Radoje Raka Ljutovac shot down an enemy aircraft with a modified field cannon — an event considered in Serbian military historiography as the beginning of air defence.

Meanwhile, according to the Serbian agency Tanjug, on the occasion of the Day of the “Čačak” Institute a military ceremony was held attended by the commander of the Army (land forces), Major General Zoran Nasković, and the head of the Logistics Directorate of the General Staff, Major General Saša Petrović. There, the results of the year’s work were summarized and the best employees were honored; military leaders stressed that over the past year the Institute has improved conditions for production and repair and has contributed significantly to the modernization of armaments and the strengthening of the operational capacities of the Land Forces and the entire Serbian Army.

The Institute marks its day in memory of September 30, 1925, when the decision was taken to grant municipal land for the establishment of the Engineering-Technical Institute in Čačak.