Belgrade flat tied to Martin Sipkovski’s death has been fully renovated

An apartment on Kosovska Street in central Belgrade that was the site of a deadly explosion on the night of 1 October 2025 has been completely refurbished, residents say.

After months of reconstruction and repair work, little on the exterior or inside the third-floor unit now betrays the force of the blast that killed 21-year-old Macedonian national Martin Sipkovski.

Visible damage removed after extensive repairs

Neighbors reported that contractors spent weeks removing debris, rebuilding collapsed partition walls, replacing shattered windows and frames, and fixing damaged sections of the building façade. Cars parked on the street at the time also suffered damage from the detonation, according to residents.

Police, firefighters and emergency medical teams arrived at the scene immediately after the explosion. The body of the 21-year-old was found inside the apartment. The unit was not owned by Sipkovski but had been rented as a so-called “stan na den.”

The subsequent investigation sought answers to who supplied the explosive device, how it arrived in the apartment, whether others were involved and what the intended target was. Authorities reportedly suspected that Sipkovski himself had activated the device while handling it, and days after the incident Serbian police arrested a person accused of handing the explosive to the young man.

Investigators say encrypted phones were recovered during searches and were being examined to trace possible contacts and links to wider criminal networks. Forensic tests reportedly identified the explosive as “pentrit,” a powerful charge capable of causing significant destruction. Prosecutors also looked into Sipkovski’s movements in the days before the blast; he is believed to have taken possession of the device on 30 September 2025 near the intersection of Kosovska and Nušićeva streets, and the explosion occurred the next day at about 21:45.

The case drew strong attention in both Serbia and North Macedonia. Authorities examined reports that Sipkovski had prior police records, including an ongoing proceeding in North Macedonia related to an attempted murder, and that he was supposed to be under house arrest there but had fled. Neighbors in the renovated building say the physical traces of the tragedy have been erased, but the memory of that night remains.

Photo: press material from the event