Original article (in Bosnian) was published on 16/10/2025; Author: Elma Murić
The portal Pozitivna Srpska published an article about an interview with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Minister of Defense, Zukan Helez, giving it a misleading headline claiming that “Turkey is sending weapons to the Federation of BiH”.
On October 11, 2025, Pozitivna Srpska published an article under the headline and subheadline:
HORROR! Turkey Is Sending Weapons to the Federation of BiH
After Kosovo, Turkey arms the Federation of BiH!
The article stated that Minister of Defense Zukan Helez, in a podcast for Vijesti (.ba), discussed “a range of topics, including the arrival of Turkish drones, the development of the domestic defense industry, and political events in the country”. Helez allegedly confirmed that Turkish TB2 drones were already on their way to Bosnia and Herzegovina and would be stationed in Tuzla.
The article also claimed that Helez “revealed that Bosnia and Herzegovina already has its own drone, which he says is more advanced than the Turkish TB2 model”.
The claim that “the Federation of BiH is receiving powerful weapons”, along with a link to the article, was also shared on the portal’s Facebook page. The Facebook post gained over 1.000 interactions.
What Did Minister Helez Say About Military Equipment Purchases?
On October 10, 2025, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Minister of Defense Zukan Helez, appeared in a Vijesti (.ba) podcast (archived link), where he discussed in detail the procurement of new equipment and military technology for the Armed Forces of BiH, the strengthening of the country’s defense capabilities, and progress in NATO integration. He also commented on the political situation in the country and the statements of SNSD leader Milorad Dodik and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
The main focus of the interview was state-level procurement of new technologies and aircraft, specifically drones and helicopters from the United States of America and Turkey. Helez said that Bosnia and Herzegovina would receive five helicopters from the U.S., the first two arriving in March of next year, with a sixth helicopter for the Armed Forces of BiH, coming from the same manufacturer.
As for unmanned aerial vehicles, Helez confirmed that a contract had been signed for the delivery of TB2 drones from Turkey, six in total – two TB2 combat drones and “four smaller reconnaissance drones”.
The drones are all signed for, I just had a meeting. The TB2 drones are arriving and will be stationed in Tuzla. Turkish, of course, I mean we signed on PDV, something about PDV and it will all be done.
And four smaller drones are also on their way. Two large ones, like small planes, they’re massive, they can only on the airports and hangars. We’ve already prepared their facilities. There are smaller reconnaissance drones that are also coming from Turkey and that has all been signed. We’ve also agreed on three UH-1 helicopters from Turkey for firefighting in order to preserve our other ones. (…) We currently have about ten helicopters in total. (…)
Helez also added that “the three UH-1 helicopters from Turkey” would be used for firefighting.
Additionally, he spoke about acquiring Kangal anti-drone systems and Kirpi II armored vehicles, which Turkey had already delivered to Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier this year.
Everything we procure makes all soldiers happy, some will be in Banja Luka, some elsewhere… When helicopters were transferred to Banja Luka, such chaos was put on me. People act as if Banja Luka isn’t part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, it’s unbelievable how people separate these things… Or when they say you gave, what you gave… this is Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian, there is no any dilemma. Ignore those rascals who hate this country, that kind of thing is present within all three nationalities. Perhaps among ones more than others, but there are people who consider this country their own.
During the interview, the journalist asked Helez about Milorad Dodik’s claim that “Bosniaks are being armed by Turkey”, referring to reports that Turkey had delivered drones to Kosovo earlier that month, which Dodik commented.
Helez said that Dodik “talks nonsense” and “empty stories about secession”, that “no such thing will ever happen”. He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s own drone, “better than the TB2”, would soon be presented at a fair in Egypt.
There Are No Entity-Level Armed Forces
It is true that Minister Helez sharply criticized Dodik’s separatist rhetoric and commented on divisions within the country. However, contrary to the misleading claims of Pozitivna Srpska, Helez never stated that “Turkey is sending weapons to the Federation of BiH.” The drones and other equipment he mentioned are part of state-level procurement and will be operated by the Armed Forces of BiH, established on January 1, 2006, following the transfer of defense authority from the entities to the state level.
Helez himself said in April 2025 that the Turkish TB2 drones would be owned by the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and placed under the command of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of BiH.
The Ministry of Defense regularly publishes updates on cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey, including donations and purchases of equipment such as Bayraktar TB2 drones, Kirpi II armored vehicles, Kangal anti-drone systems, UH-1H helicopters, and training programs for BiH pilots and technical personnel (1, 2, 3, 4).
It is therefore clear that all such procurements and donations occur at the state level, not within any entity such as the Federation of BiH or Republika Srpska.
The manipulative and inaccurate claims that “Turkey, after Kosovo, is arming the Federation of BiH”, which paraphrase Milorad Dodik’s “questioning” of whether a “Turkish delivery of weapons to Bosniaks in BiH, to be aimed against Serbs and Croats”, is next, were not published for the purpose of informing the public, but rather to provoke fear and hostility.Based on the facts, we rate the claim that Turkey is “arming the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina” as disinformation.
