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Stankovac. 338 Th e HV 153 rd Brigade attacking towards Pokupsko - Šišinec - Brkiševina fared
no better. Two of its battalions crossed the Kupa and returned to their jump-off positions.
One battalion remained on the left bank of the Kupa at the village of Gornja Bučica and the
hamlets of Božurići - Kaurići. 339 Although Glina was not seriously threatened, late in the
evening the SVKJ General Staff ordered the commander of the Special Unit Corps to shift
the 2 nd Armoured Brigade from the Slunj training site to the greater area of Glina in order
to prevent a quick breakthrough of Croatian forces towards Topusko and Dvor na Uni. 340
Th e liberation of Petrinja was the main objective of the Zagreb Corps District in the fi rst
stage of the operation. Strong forces were assembled for the mission - the envelopment and
the liberation of the town. Along the western axis the main body of the 12 th Home Guard
Brigade attacking via Konjska Glava was stopped in front of mine fi elds, and forced to
retreat by mortar and artillery fi re. At its right fl ank the regiment succeeded in seizing the
greater part of Župić Brdo by nightfall. 341 Th e main body of the 2 nd Guards Brigade liberated
the villages of Sibić, Gora, Graberje and part of the village of Strašnik. Because of fi ve men
killed in action, including one company commander, the brigade had a passing crisis,
refl ected in the incomplete capture of the village of Strašnik. 342 Th ere was also panic on the
other side in the ranks of the SVK 31 st Motorized Brigade, which managed to stabilize its
position by bringing in reinforcements as well as owing to reduced Croatian pressure. 343
Th e main role along the eastern axis of the attack of Petrinja was entrusted to Tactical
Group 2 (TG-2), which comprised a reinforced battalion of the HV 2 nd Guards Brigade, some
smaller units of the HV 12 th Home Guard Regiment, the 5 th Anti-Armour Artillery-Rocket
Battalion and the 31 st Engineer Battalion. Aft er artillery preparation, TG-2 pushed on via
Moščenica towards Petrinja, liberated the hamlet of Kolonija Češkog Sela and eliminated
the Serbian forces in the Finel plant. Aft er this it was stopped with heavy casualties in the
centre of Češko Selo. Six Guardsmen were killed in action, including the commander of
the 2 nd Battalion of the 2 nd Guards Brigade, Colonel Predrag Matanović, ten were severely
and twenty lightly wounded. Two T-55 tanks and one M-80 infantry fi ghting vehicle were
destroyed, one T-55 tank with mine clearance gear got stuck, and one armoured fi ghting
vehicle was captured. 344 Aft er receiving reinforcements the command of the SVK 31 st
Motorized Brigade stabilized its position. 345
338 MORH, GSHV: APO 8259, cl. 81/95-01/08, reg. no. 8259-01/95-40 of 5 September 1995; Action analysis.
339 MORH, GSHV: APO 3010, cl. 81/95-01/08, reg. no. 3010-01/95-40 of 4 August 1995; Report for 4 August.
340 M. Sekulić, “Knin je pao u Beogradu” (Knin Fell in Belgrade), 182.
341 MORH, GSHV: APO 8252, cl. 81/05-95/02, reg. no. 8258-06/95-60 of 5 September 1995; Action analysis.
342 MORH, GSHV: deputy commander of the 2nd Guards Brigade of 12 August 1995; data concerning action
along the main attack line. MORH, GSHV: APO1112/10, cl. str. conf. 8/95-01/30, reg. no. 1112-30/01-95-86
of 31 August 1995; Report. MORH, GSHV: APO 1112/30, cl. 8/95-01/32, reg. no. 1112-32/01-95-175 of 4
September 1995; Action analysis.
343 M. Sekulić, “Knin je pao u Beogradu” (Knin Fell in Belgrade).
344 MORH, GSHV: TS-2 commander, 12 August 1995; Report on TS-2 action. MORH, GSHV: APO 1112/20
(2/2nd Guards Brig.), c l. str. conf. 030-03/95-01/6, reg. no. 1112-31/01-95-1 of 3 September 1995; Action
analysis.
345 M. Sekulić, “Knin je pao u Beogradu” (Knin Fell in Belgrade), 234.
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