storm - Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski centar Domovinskog ...

THE KRAJINA IN ANTICIPATION OF STORM
Aft er the operation Summer ‘95 the RSK found itself in a very precarious position,
the worst since its foundation. Th e state of war was proclaimed throughout the
RSK on 28 July. 125 All SVK units were forbidden rest periods based on shift duty.
Th e troops were allowed to rest only on their order of battle positions. 126 On 30 July
General Ratko Mladić stated in Knin that the Croatian forces had committed a decisive
mistake by capturing Glamoč and Grahovo, and that it would cost them dearly. 127 On
the same day General Milovanović, Chief of the General Staff of the Army of Republika
Srpska, declared that he had received from the President of Republika Srpska Radovan
Karadžić the order to stop the breakthrough of the Croatian forces and mount a
counterattack in order to free Grahovo and Glamoč: «I do not known whether the army
will accomplish its mission within 24 hours or 24 days, but it is clear that it will free the
occupied territories very soon». 128 On 31 July Martić also held a press conference: he
stated that he had talked to the President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milošević and
obtained from him the promise that «Serbia could not be indiff erent» if Croatia attacked
Knin. 129 Speaking on behalf of the Supreme Defence Council of the Republika Srpska
and the Republika Srpska Krajina, which met on 2 August in Drvar, Radovan Karadžić
urged the international community to sanction the Croatian conduct. Yugoslavia was
called upon to help, Karadžić claimed, because the confl ict was no longer a civil war but
the continuation of World War Two and an attempt to create a Greater Croatia. 130
All these media appearances were focused on the same goal - boosting the morale of
the Krajina Serbs which was at a very low ebb. Th e HV operation intended to achieve a
link-up with the ARBiH 5 th Corps had been announced since early July. 131 On 25 July the
command of the 39 th Corps informed the subordinate units that the HV would “almost
certainly” attack the 27 th Corps on 26 or 27 July, and probably, at approximately the
same time, land airborne troops in the area of Bihać or Brekovica. 132 Th e daily report of
the Sector for Military and Civilian Aff airs of the RSK Ministry of Internal Aff airs of 31
125 RSK Supreme Defence Council; no. 020/1-846/95 of 28 July 1995; Decision.
126 RSK, GŠ SV; str. conf. no. 3-470 of 31 July 1995; Order.
127 D. Radišić, “Hronologija 1990-1005.” (Chronology 1990-1995), 605.
128 Ibid., 605.
129 Ibid., 605.
130 Ibid., 608.
131 Command of the 24th infantry brigade, no. 32-81 of 5 July 1995; Order.
132 Command of the 39th Corps; str. conf., no. 64-185 of 25 July 1995; Intelligence information.
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