storm - Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski centar Domovinskog ...

Th e Croatian Air Force and Air Defence included the Command, fi ve air bases and
four Air Defence brigades. Th e Air Force had 40 aircraft , out of which 26 combat aircraft ,
and 22 helicopters, out of which 10 combat helicopters. Th e Croatian Navy included
the Command, the North, Central and South Adriatic commands, the fl eet, batteries,
and infantry detachments and Home Guard battalions. Th e fl eet had 28 vessels. 20 In
December 1994 the HV had about 96,000 troops. Th e army prevailed with more than
89,000 troops. 21 For the requirements of operations Storm and Flash the numbers
increased through additional mobilization and mobilization of reserve units.
Until late autumn in 1992 the armed forces of the rebel Serbs were known as the
Territorial Defence (TO); they were then renamed into Serbian Krajina Army (SVK). At
the same time it was structured in terms of organization and organically, and retained
the structure until its disappearance. Th e SVK included the General Staff and units
subordinated to the General Staff , six corps, and air forces. Th e corps were organized
along the regional principle. Northern Dalmatia was covered by the 7 th , North Dalmatian
Corps, Lika by the 15 th , Lika Corps, Kordun by the 21 st , Kordun Corps, Banovina by
the 39 th , Banovina Corps, Western Slavonia by the 18 th , Western Slavonia Corps, and
Eastern Slavonia by the 11 th , Slavonia-Baranja Corps. In principle a corps comprised the
command, three or more brigades, a logistic base and support artillery. Th e Slavonia-
Baranja Corps was an exception in that it also included an infantry division. Th e air force
included an air brigade, air bases, and an observation, reporting and guidance battalion. 22
Aft er Operation Flash and the routing of the Western Slavonia Corps, Lieutenant Colonel
General Mile Mrkšić became the new commander of the SVK. Mrkšić initiated a number
of changes in the SVK structure, the most important one being the formation of the
Special Unit Corps (Korpus specijalnih jedinica, KSJ). It comprised the Corps Command,
2 armoured brigades, the 71 st Special Brigade, the 2 nd Guards Brigade, the Mountain
Battalion, an MP battalion, and a light air defence artillery battalion. 23 In spite of the
high-sounding name of the unit, it was of brigade rank; however, special units were
usually regarded as being of the same rank as larger units. Th e HV paid great attention
to the formation of the Special Unit Corps, and attributed to it an excessive signifi cance;
time would show, soon, that its impact was nevertheless more modest than expected. 24
In mid-1994 the SVK had 300 tanks, 295 armoured vehicles, and 360 artillery pieces
of 100-plus mm caliber. 25 In late October 1994 it had 20,000 to 25,000 troops. 26 During
20 SVA MORH, GSHV: GSHV, HV combat readiness report, December 1994.
21 SVA MORH, GSHV: GSHV, HV combat readiness report, December 1994.
22 Military Security Agency (Vojnosigurnosna agencija, VSA) MORH: RSK, GŠ SV, DT no. 947.23/1 of 27
November 1992; Restructuring of TO and special militia units into the Serbian Army of the RSK; M. Sekulić,
“Knin je pao u Beogradu” (Knin fell in Belgrade), 36-39.
23 Counterintelligence Agency (Protuobavještajna agencija, POA): RSK, GŠ SV, str. conf., no. 3-268 of 22
May 1995; SVK restructuring, Order; VSA MORH: Overview of Special Unit Corps (document with no
number or date); M. Sekulić, Knin fell in Belgrade, 157.
24 MORH, GSHV; GS HV, RP/13/85 of 5 July 1995; Appendix based on intelligence assessment.
25 HDA, RSK: GŠ SV, str. conf. no. 26-216 of 12 May 1994. Overview of basic SVK materiel; HDA, RSK:
Report to the commander-in-chief on the plan of SVK commitment (undated, early 1995).
26 POA: GŠ SVK.IKM, str. conf., no. 3-503/552 of 30 November 1994. Data for the report of the defence
minister to the RSK Assembly.
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