Serbian Army of Krajina

The Serbian Army of Krajina (Serbo-Croatian: Srpska vojska Krajine, SVK, Српска војска Крајине, СВК) was the armed forces of the Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK). Also known as the Army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina or Krajina Serbian Army, the armed forces of Krajina consisted of ground and air elements.

Serbian Army of Krajina
Српска Војска Крајине
Srpska Vojska Krajine
FoundationOctober 17, 1992 (30 years ago)
Dates of operation1992–1995
DissolvedAugust 7, 1995 (27 years ago)
Allegiance Serbian Krajina
HeadquartersKnin
Size30,000[1]
Battles and warsOperation Stinger,
Operation Medak Pocket,
Operation Maslenica,
Operation Summer '95,
Operation Whirlwind,
Operation Flash,
Operation Storm
Colors(Serbian tricolour)
War flag

Created through the merger of the Territorial Defense of the Republika Srpska Krajina (TORSK), units of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and the Krajina Militia, the Krajina Serb Army was officially established on 19 March 1992. Responsible for the security of the RSK, its area of responsibility covered an area of some 17,028 km² at its peak, as it was located entirely inland it thus had no naval forces. The Serbian Army of Krajina, along with the state of RSK, ceased to exist in 1995 following the Croatian military offensive Operation Storm.

Organization

Commanders-in-Chief
No. Portrait Commander-in-ChiefTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branch
1
Milan Babić
Babić, MilanMilan Babić
(1956–2006)		199219920 yearsnone
2
Goran Hadžić
Hadžić, GoranGoran Hadžić
(1958–2016)		199219941–2 yearsnone
3
Milan Martić
Martić, MilanMilan Martić
(born 1954)		199419950–1 yearsnone

Commanders
No. Portrait CommanderTook officeLeft officeTime in officeDefence branch
1
Mile Novaković
Novaković, MileMajor general
Mile Novaković
(1950–2015)		199219941–2 years Army
2
Milan Čeleketić
Čeleketić, MilanMajor general
Milan Čeleketić
(born 1946)		199419950–1 years Army
3
Mile Mrkšić
Mrkšić, MileGeneral
Mile Mrkšić
(1947–2015)		199519950 years Army


Structure
Main article: Main Staff of the Serbian Army of Krajina
Territorial organization of SVK
Corporal emblem of SVK, 1993–1995
Uniform of SVK
  • 105th Aviation Brigade
  • 44th Air defense rocket brigade
  • 75th Mixed artillery brigade
  • "Pauk" Operational Group
  • Special forces corps
  • 7th Dalmatia (dalmatinski) corps
  • 15th Lika (lički) corps
  • 21st Kordun (kordunski) corps
  • 39th Banija (banijski) corps
  • 18th West-Slavonia (zapadnoslavonski) corps
  • 11th East-Slavonia (istočnoslavonski) corps

At the creation of the army, it was planned that its number would be 80,000 people, however it turned out to be less.

  • According to Colonel Kosta Novaković: 62,483 (772 officers, 2,709 non-commissioned officers and 59,002 soldiers) or 78% of the planned number.[2]
  • According to the General Staff in 1994: 62,805 (2,890 officers, 4,329 non-commissioned officers and 55,886 soldiers).[3]
  • According to General Milisav Sekulić: 71,409 (3,291 officers, 3,424 non-commissioned officers and 60,496 soldiers).[3]

Equipment
  • Krajina Airforce G-2 Galeb
    Krajina Airforce G-2 Galeb
  • Krajina Airforce Aérospatiale Gazelle
    Krajina Airforce Aérospatiale Gazelle
  • Krajina Airforce Utva 66
    Krajina Airforce Utva 66
  • Krajina Airforce Zlin Z-526
    Krajina Airforce Zlin Z-526

War crimes
Main article: List of massacres in the Croatian War of Independence

During the Croatian War of Independence, numerous massacres were conducted by the Army of Serbian Krajina. On 2–3 May 1995, seven civilians were killed and many more injured in the Zagreb rocket attacks.[4][5]

The main leaders of the Serbian Army of Krajina, Milan Martić, Milan Babić and Goran Hadžić, were indicted and trialled by the ICTY for various war crimes and crimes against humanity. Milan Martić was sentenced to 35 years in prison, [6] Milan Babić was sentenced to 13 years,[7] while Goran Hadžić died shortly after their trial started.[8]

See also

References
  1. Dixon, Jeffrey S.; Sarkees, Meredith Reid (2015). A Guide to Intra-state Wars: An Examination of Civil, Regional, and Intercommunal Wars, 1816–2014. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. p. 313. ISBN 978-1-50630-081-8.
  2. Novaković 2009, p. 292.
  3. Рат за опстанак Срба Крајишника. Зборник радова 1. - Београд: Тело Принт. - 2010, с. 199.
  4. "Prosecutors Seek Life Sentence for War Crimes Suspect Martic". Voice of America. 10 January 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  5. "War crimes suspects surrender to tribunal". BBC News. 15 May 2002. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
  6. "Serb leader jailed for war crimes". BBC News. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2007.
  7. ICTY (2004). "Judgement in the Case the Prosecutor v. Milan Babic". Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2006.
  8. "Goran Hadžić dead". Retrieved 12 July 2016.

Sources
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