Politico: Serbian and Russian intelligence agencies tested acoustic weapons on dogs. It could have been used during the crackdown on protests in Belgrade

Serbian intelligence, together with FSB officers, tested long-range acoustic devices (LRAD) on dogs, Politico writes , citing relevant documents.

The tests took place after massive anti-government protests in Belgrade on March 15, 2025. Protesters then heard "the roar of an airplane or train engine in the tunnel, coupled with a high-pitched, extremely loud whistle, gunshot, or explosion." After this, eyewitnesses complained of nausea, dizziness and headaches, Politico writes.

Then the Serbian authorities denied using any illegal means of suppressing rallies, including acoustic ones.

Two weeks after this, Serbian intelligence and the FSB conducted LRAD tests, which were aimed at assessing the impact of sound devices on “biological objects”. The dogs were chosen as test subjects because of their high sensitivity to sounds, Politico writes.

The tests used two models of acoustic weapons - LRAD 100X MAG-HS and LRAD 450XL - at distances from 200 to 25 meters. Such devices can produce noise up to 150 decibels, which is comparable to the noise of a jet engine.

A month later, the Serbian side prepared a report for the FSB. It said that LRADs were not used during the protests, but were only tested on dogs - no changes in their behavior were recorded, Politico writes.

The use of sonic weapons was also reported during the dispersal of a rally in Novi Sad on March 16, 2025. Authorities also denied using it.