Exclusive: Another Ukraine? Russia Backs Separatist Politician's Military Buildup in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Research Shows
By Cristina Maza <http://www.newsweek.com/authors/cristina-maza> On 3/16/18 at 8:00 AM Shocking Moment Bosnian Croat War Criminal 'Drinks Poison’ During Court Hearing <http://www.newsweek.com/another-war-bosnia-russia-backs-separatist-politicians-military-buildup-europe-846949?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fzen.yandex.com> Share World <http://www.newsweek.com/world> Bosnia <http://www.newsweek.com/topic/bosnia> Russia <http://www.newsweek.com/topic/russia> Balkans <http://www.newsweek.com/topic/balkans> Europe <http://www.newsweek.com/topic/europe> Bosnia and Herzegovina, a tiny nation in southeastern Europe best known for its bloody war in the 1990s, might be edging closer to an armed conflict once again. A new report <https://www.fpri.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Bosnia-on-the-Chopping-Block-March-2018.pdf> released Friday, "Bosnia on the Russian Chopping Block: The Potential for Violence and Steps to Prevent It," reveals an extensive military buildup in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The document found that Russian President Vladimir Putin is supporting ethnic Serb separatists in the country to prevent Sarajevo from integrating with the West. Experts warned that this dynamic could start a Ukraine-style conflict in the heart of Europe. The military buildup is taking place in Republika Srpska, a largely autonomous region in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where most of the population is Serbian. Local police and other security officials are receiving military-style training from Russia and amassing military equipment, according to documents reviewed by Newsweek, and increasingly look like a well-trained, well-armed military. Meanwhile, Moscow is also supporting the formation of Serbian nationalist paramilitary groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The efforts are underpinned by Republika Srpska's separatist President Milorad Dodik, who has advocated for a referendum on his region’s independence <https://www.politico.eu/article/milorad-dodik-bosnia-serb-republic-serbia-leader-no-breakaway-vote-next-year/> from the rest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite warnings from the international community that such a vote would be illegal. Dodik has repeatedly called Bosnia a “failing state,” said the European Union is no longer relevant there and has thanked Russia for being an unconditional friend to the region. http://www.newsweek.com/another-war-bosnia-russia-backs-separatist-politicians-military-buildup-europe-846949?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fzen.yandex.com EXCLUSIVE: ANOTHER UKRAINE? RUSSIA BACKS SEPARATIST POLITICIAN'S MILITARY BUILDUP IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, RESEARCH SHOWS -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "serbia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/serbia. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
