War and pics: Pro-Russian Serbs march in Belgrade in support of Vladimir Putin

Russia at the UN Security Council strongly opposed the NATO`s bombing of strategic targets in Serbia to bring an end to the Balkan wars of the 1990s which still remains fresh for many  ordinary Serbs

Among the protesters were also local members of Russia`s "Night Wolves" motorcycle club, known to have close ties to Putin and with a history of fighting in Ukraine on the side of pro-Russian separatists during the 2014 Crimea crisis and war over the Donbass region.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, facing an election next month in which he needs to retain the support of Russian-leaning citizens, has in recent days also repeatedly pointed to Moscow`s long-time backing in the United Nations where it has refused to recognise the independence of Serbia`s former breakaway province of Kosovo.  

Serbia, which relies on Moscow for its energy needs, also joined the UN General Assembly`s condemnation of Russia`s attack but has declined to introduce sanctions against Moscow.

The country`s flag carrier Air Serbia continues to fly between Belgrade and Moscow, even adding capacity as the EU and Russia issued tit-for-tat airspace bans.