storm - Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski centar Domovinskog ...

1. Hostile forces
Th e Croatian Army (HV) continues to mobilize and engage in training activities on
RH territory. It is also preparing to stage an inter-branch exercise in the territory of the
Osijek Corps District. For that purpose they have also mobilized part of the MUP RH
special units and deployed them to the staging areas.
Intensive reconnaissance and intelligence activities have been observed along the axis
Marinci - Jarmina - Kortina - Hrastin - Vladislavci. HV units have entered the buff er
zone and are fortifying.
Over the past few days the HV has mobilized and deployed troops opposite the zone of
responsibility of the 18 th Corps, i.e., in the greater area of Nova Gradiška - Psunja, and
partly in the UNPA zone around Pakrac.
More intensive grouping of ustashi forces and materiel has been observed opposite the
zone of responsibility of the 15 th and 21 st Corps. Th e presence of a part of the 4 th Guards
Brigade (Split) has also been noted in the past few days in the greater area of Perušić
(zone of responsibility of the 15 th Corps).
In the zone of responsibility of the 7 th Corps the ustashi have sustained their engagement
and seizure of dominant heights on Mount Dinara and their artillery is engaging the area
of Uništa every day. Th e ustashi are undertaking more intensive reconnaissance actions
along the line Pakovo Selo - Žitnić - Dabar - left shore of lake Peruča. (...)
Th e eff orts and the engagement of all command bodies are focused on combat training.
A joint tactical exercise, Counterstrike, was carried out late in March, involving some
units of the Kordun Corps, the air force and the 44 th Rocket Brigade. It included live
fi ring drills with artillery, tanks, 2M ground-to-air rockets and direct fi re weapons. A
live fi ring battle drill was carried out involving one reinforced infantry unit from the
13 th infantry brigade. Similar exercises are being planned in the greater area of Mount
Dinara.
Th e March recruits are undergoing training. Aft er a month of training the young soldiers
are fi t for combat as infantrymen.
Th e fi rst generation of the (infantry and artillery) reserve offi cers’ school graduates is
undergoing its postgraduate training, and at the training centre courses are under way
for company and battery commanders and brigade commanders.
In line with combat readiness requirements the current system of enhanced and
continuous combat readiness steps is being upgraded along with changes in the alert,
readiness and operational duty plans.
Seven hundred SVK troops (from the 21 st and 39 th Corps) are engaged in operation
Spider in the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (Fikret Abdić’s followers).
Th e necessary preparations for the reception, training and planned commitment of
volunteers in RSK territory have been completed. (...)
2.1 Morale
Morale in the SVK meets the combat readiness requirements. Th e malfunctioning
of agencies intended to uphold the rule of law and the sluggish solution of problems
aff ecting the functioning of the defence system have a negative eff ect on morale. Th e
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