Republic of Serbian Krajina

RSK consisted of three exclaves ^{[1] [2]} :

• ( , Lika , Kordun , Bania ). It consisted of the municipalities of Benkovac , , Vrginmost, Glina , Gračac, Dvor , Drniš , Donji-Lapac, Knin , Korenica , Kostajnica , Krnjak, Obrovac , Petriняa, Dieszki, Slunj , Zadar Serbian community, Tsaprag.
• Western Slavonia , located in the eponymous region. It consisted of the municipalities of Grubishno Polje , Daruvar , Okucani , Pakrac , Podravska-Slatina . Most of Western Slavonia was under the control of the Croatian army from the end of December 1991 and was part of the RSK only formally.
• Eastern Slavonia, Baraniya and Western Srem . It consisted of the municipalities of Beli-Manastir , Vukovar , Dal, Mirkovtsi, Tenya.

According to the RSC Constitution, the main territorial unit was the community, which, as a rule, included a relatively large settlement, which was its center, and the surrounding villages, villages and hamlets. In total, the RAC consisted of 28 communities ^[2] .

In the RSK, there were six historical and geographical regions. In particular, the corps of the Kraiinsky army were located in accordance with these regions, the population size was estimated according to the same principle ^{[3] [4]} .

• North Dalmatia. The area of ​​3450 km ² ^[3] . Borders of Northern Dalmatia from the north were Velebit, from the east - Dinar Mountains, from the south - Kosovo Pol and Petrovo Polje, from the west - Zadar and the Adriatic coast. This region included Knin, Benkovac, Obrovac, Drnis and the Serbian community of Zadar ^[5] .
• Lika. The area of ​​4808 km ² ^[3] . The borders of Lika from the north were the town of Plaški, from the east - the Una river, in the south - the Zrmanja river, in the west - the Medak-Teslingrad line. In fact, Lika is located between the mountains Velebit, Pleszewice and Mala Capelle. In the region are Plitvice Lakes. In the RSK, the communities of Korenitsa, Donji-Lapac, Gracac, and Plashki were related to Lika ^[6] .
• Kordun. The area is 2306 km ² ^[3] . The borders of Kordun were: in the north - the Kupa River, in the east - the Clay River and the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Pleshevitsa and Mala Kapela Mountains in the south and the Mrežnica River and the Koran - in the west. Kordunu included the communities of Slunj, Krnjak, Vrginmost and Voinich. In economic terms, the city stood out Topusco ^[7] .
• Bania. The area of ​​3456 km ² ^[3] . The exact boundaries of this region have not been determined. The Bani included the communities of Clay, Petrinya, Kostainitsa, Dvor-na-Uni and part of the Tsaprag community ^[8] .
• Western Slavonia. The total area of ​​Western Slavonia was 5,062 km² ^[3] , but under the control of the RSK there were only 558 km², since in the fall of 1991 the Croatian forces launched a series of attacks, taking control of most of the area. The northern border was the Drava River, the eastern - the area of ​​the Donji-Miholjats ​​and Orahovitsa communities, the southern - the Sava River, and the western - the Ilova River. Formally, Western Slavonia included the communities of Okucani, Pakrac, Daruvar, Grubishno-Polje, Podravska Slatina, parts of the communities of Virovitica, Orahovica and Slavonska-Pozega. However, in practice, RSK controlled only Okucani and part of Pakrac ^[9] .
• Eastern Slavonia, Baraniya, Western Srem. The area of ​​2511 km ² ^[3] . The northern border was Hungarian, the eastern border was with the FRY, the southern border was between the Danube and Savoy, the western border was along Osijek and Vinkovce, under Croatian control. This region included the communities of Vukovar, Tenya, Dal, Beli Manastir, Mirkovtsi and parts of the communities of Osijek, Vinkovci and Zupanya ^[10] .

Military Border

Serbs in the territory of the future Serb Krajina lived from the Middle Ages ^{[11] [12]} , and even before the invasion of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans ^{[13] [11]} . For example, the first mention of the Serbs in Srem, Slavonia and Dalmatia date back to the 7th century AD. er However, the majority of the population of the Serbs then constituted only in areas of Southern Dalmatia, where they founded several of their principalities ^{[14] [15] [16]} . The first Serbian monastery in the Kingdom of Croatia was the Krupa Monastery , founded in 1317 by monks who had fled Bosnia from the Turks, at the expense of King Stephen Uros II ^[17] . At about the same time, the Krka Monastery was founded at the expense of Princess Helen Shubich Nemanich, the sister of King Stephen Uros IV and the wife of Croatian nobleman Mladen III Subic ^[18] .

After the Ottoman conquest of Serbia and Bosnia by the Turks, the number of Serbs in Krajina increased significantly, and many Croats left these regions and moved either to cities on the Adriatic coast or into Croatia and Hungary ^{[19] [20]} . After the first capture of the town of Jajce by the Turks, 18,000 Serbian families moved to the Litsa and Krbavskiye counties. Hungarian King Matvey Corvin freed them from taxes and guaranteed freedom of religion, but the Serbs were supposed to protect the border from Turkish invasions ^[21] . Later, the Serb refugees in other parts of Krajina received the status of border militia from the Habsburg monarchy , which in exchange for land plots defended the border with the Turks for life ^[22] .

According to a number of researchers, for the Habsburgs, the Military Border ( Serbian Voen Krajina ) was a kind of reservoir of soldiers. Every seventh Krajina resident was a borderman, while in other lands of the empire the ratio of soldiers and civilians was 1:64 ^{[23] [24]} . Throughout its existence, the military frontier has undergone numerous reforms and transformations. At the end of the 19th century, the Military Border was abolished, and its areas in 1882 were transferred to the administration of the Kingdom of Croatia and Slavonia within the framework of the Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen ^{[25] [26]} .

1881–1918

After the abolition of the military organization, the political activity of the Serbs intensified. Several parties were created, some of which collaborated with Croatian parties. However, a number of Croatian politicians, such as Ante Starcevic and Josip Frank, considered the Serbs an alien element and promoted serophobia ^{[27] [28]} . While the Serbs received support from Bans Kuena Hedervari , appointed by Budapest , some Croatian politicians sought patronage in ruling circles in Vienna . After the collapse of Austria-Hungary, almost all of its South Slavic lands voluntarily became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes . However, this state was centralized and soon ceased to respond to the sentiments of the Croatian masses, who wanted considerable autonomy or independence. This complicated Serbian-Croatian relations and caused a number of political crises ^[29] .

According to the census of 1910 , the Orthodox Serbs in the Croatian-Slavon section of the former military border numbered 649,453 people ^[25] . 11 years later, in 1921, 764,901 Serbs lived on the territory of present-day Croatia and Srem (currently within Serbia ), of which 658,769 lived on the territory of the Croatian-Slavon section of the former Military Border and 106,132 in Dalmatia ^[30] .

Genocide of the Serbs in World War II

After the occupation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by Germany and its allies, the Independent State of Croatia was created, with the Ustashes at the head. They adhered to the Great Croat idea and were distinguished by extreme serophobia , which resulted in the genocide of Serbs , Jews and Gypsies. Ustashi was created and a network of concentration camps. The exact number of victims of the genocide is unknown, it ranges from 197,000 people in the Croatian version ^[31] to 800,000 people in the Serbian version ^[32] . A significant part of the victims died in the Croatian concentration camps. About 240,000 Serbs were forcibly converted to Catholicism , another 400,000 were forced to flee to Serbia ^[32] . These actions changed the ethnic map of the territories of present-day Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and had an extremely negative impact on the relations between the Serbs and the Croats. A widespread liberation movement developed in the occupied areas of Yugoslavia. Originating in Dalmatia, it found a response throughout the territory of Yugoslavia. The struggle against the Croatian military formations and units of the Wehrmacht was conducted by communist partisans under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito . The policies of the Serbian nationalist movement of the Chetniks under the leadership of Drazha Mikhailovich in different periods ranged from fighting the German units to cooperation with them. The Chetniks, in their territories controlled by them, conducted in turn terror against the non-Serb civilian population ^{[33] [34] [35]} . The Serbs from the territories of the former Military Border made a significant contribution to the fight against German units and Croatian formations. In 1943, their number in the ranks of the Chetniks was 7,000, in the ranks of the partisans - 28,800 fighters. In 1945, there were 4,000 in the ranks of the Chetniks, and 63,710 Serbs from the territories of Krajina in the ranks of the partisans ^[36] . After the liberation of the entire territory of Yugoslavia, the Serbs in Croatia, along with the Croats, received the status of state-forming people ^{[37] [38] [39] [40]} .

Croatian Spring

In the late 1960s, new ideas were born among the Croatian Communists, the essence of which was to change the position of the republic within the framework of Yugoslavia. In Croatia, a widespread reform movement began, known as the Croatian Spring or Mascock (from the Serbo-Croatian “povot pokret” - a mass movement). According to the statements of his ideologues, it aimed to expand the rights of Croats within the framework of Yugoslavia, as well as to carry out democratic and economic reforms. Members of the movement protested against the "extrusion" of such economically backward regions of Yugoslavia, like Kosovo, at the expense of budget cuts and political rights in Croatia. However, they did not pay attention to the criticism, which pointed to the full equality of the Yugoslav republics. In the same period, the first after the 1945 clashes in Krajina on national grounds — between Serbs and Croats — were noted. The Yugoslav media published information according to which lists of Serbs and Croats were compiled in Croatia, which remained loyal to Yugoslavia. There have been complaints of discrimination against Serbs ^[41] .

The leadership of Yugoslavia and the SKYU perceived the movement as a revival of Croatian nationalism and threw the police to suppress demonstrations. Tito dismissed the least loyal supporters, such as Savka Dabchevich-Kuchar, Miko Tripalo and Dragutin Haramia, and also cleared the Croatian Communist Party and the local administration. Many of the leaders of this movement then spoke at party meetings and said they were wrong. Many student activists were arrested, some were even sentenced to imprisonment. Among those arrested in those years were both future Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Stepan Mesic , as well as dissident journalist Bruno Busic.

The rise of nationalism in Yugoslavia

In 1981, riots broke out in Kosovo and Metohija, caused by mass demonstrations of Kosovo Albanians who demanded that the autonomous province be transformed into a republic or its independence from Yugoslavia ^{[42] [43]} . Also, the leadership of the Union republics of Slovenia and Croatia sought to decentralize and democratic change ^[44] . In turn, the authorities in Belgrade sought to suppress the separatist movements in the country. In the early 1990s, the Serbian leadership, led by Slobodan Milosevic, effectively abolished the autonomy of Kosovo ^[42] .

Along with the demands for decentralization and for gaining more autonomy, Slovenia and Croatia saw a rise in nationalism. After Milosevic came to power in Serbia, the Yugoslav leadership declared the need for centralized control from Belgrade . Contradictions between the union republics and the federal center grew. In addition to the rise of nationalism in Slovenia and Croatia, Serbian nationalism also became a threat to the united Yugoslav state .

In March 1989, the crisis in Yugoslavia deepened. The Serbian leadership de facto abolished the autonomies of Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija, and also, having received support from Montenegro , was able to significantly influence decision making at the federal level ^[45] . This caused protests from the leadership of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina . After that, appeals began to arise for the reform of the Yugoslav federation on the part of the leaders of the Union republics ^[46] .

Thus, the gradual growth of nationalism in Yugoslavia during the 1980s led to the general Yugoslav crisis and the fall of the communist system ^[47] .

1990

When political parties began to form in Croatia in 1990, the Serbs created the Yugoslav Independent Democratic Party ^[ 11] on February 11 in Wojnic, and the Serb Democratic Party in February ³⁷ in Knin ^[37] . In 1990, multi-party elections were held throughout Yugoslavia. In Croatia, they won the Croatian Democratic Union (CDU), which advocated secession from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and constitutional changes. The Serbs, who lived compactly in the republic, supported either the Serbian Democratic Party of the moderate politician Jovan Rashkovic, or the communist or socialist movements. The policy of the CDU and the nationalist remarks of a number of its leaders, including Franjo Tudjman , have increased inter-ethnic tensions in the republic. After the introduction of new state symbols ^[49] and the change of the name of the republic (the word “Socialist” was removed) tensions in Serbian-Croatian relations grew, and then the Serbs demanded cultural autonomy, which they were denied ^[50] . The Croatian historian Nikitsa Baric wrote that the crisis of Yugoslavia, in which the Serbs saw guarantees of stability, caused them concern. As a result, the Serbs increasingly considered their only defender the Yugoslav People’s Army, which was the last really functioning Yugoslav institution ^[51] .

The situation in Croatia was exacerbated by nationalist measures of the republican government. The Serbo-Croatian language was changed to Croatian, first the name was changed, and then the grammatical norms of the language. In official correspondence and in the media, Cyrillic writing was prohibited. Texts on Serbian history, Serbian writers and poets were removed from school programs. Serbs in state institutions were forced to sign "loyalty sheets" to the new Croatian government ^{[52] [53]} . Those who refused to do this were immediately dismissed. This was especially noticeable in the system of the Ministry of Interior ^[54] . Pressure was exerted on representatives of the Serbian intelligentsia ^[55] . Croatian politicians made statements that were painfully perceived by the Serbs. Especially the Serb reaction was provoked by the statement of President Tudjman that Croatia during the Second World War was not only a Nazi entity, but also expressed millennial aspirations of the Croatian people ^{[56] [57] [58]} . Stipe Mesic, in turn, said that the only Serbian land in Croatia is that which the Serbs brought with them on the soles of their shoes ^[56] .

In August 1990, a referendum on sovereignty and autonomy was held in Knin Krajina, on which Serbs who were born or reside in the territory of the SR of Croatia could speak. Croats did not take part in it. At the referendum, 99.7% of the 756,721 voters answered this question positively) ^{[59] [60] [61]} , but in 10 municipalities the Croatian authorities managed to prevent the referendum from being held ^[62] . The Serbian referendum and the beginning of the creation of autonomy in historiography were called the “ Log Revolution ”. On September 30, 1990, the Serbian Autonomous Oblast of the Knin Krajina (SAOKK) was proclaimed, which, from December 21, became known as the Serb Autonomous Oblast of Krajina (SAOK) ^{[63] [64] [65] [66]} . In December 1990, the Croatian Sabor (parliament) adopted a new Constitution , according to which the Serbs in Croatia became a national minority, rather than a constitutional state-forming people, as was the case with the republican constitution of the times of the Socialist Federal Republic ^{[38] [39] [61] [67]} .

In the summer and autumn of 1990, a kind of exchange took place in the power structures of the republic. All the Serbs who refused to sign the “loyalty sheets” to the new Croatian government were dismissed from the republican Interior Ministry. At the same time, in Knin and several other cities where Serbs constituted the majority of the population, only Serbs remained in the police. Soon it was renamed the “Krajina Militia”. However, this situation was not only in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. For example, on October 17, 1990, the head of the Croatian government, Josip Manolich, dismissed all Serbs who worked in the government and its staff, regardless of their political views ^[68] .

In Croatia, the revolution of logs and the creation of the CAO Krajina are called the Serbian Uprising ( Croatian Srpska pobuna ). As Elena Guskova wrote, the fear of the Croatian Serbs before the revival of fascism in Croatia, the Croatian authorities themselves considered, on the one hand, baseless, but on the other they saw in it manifestations of “Great Serbian imperialism”. Territories under the control of the Krajina Serbs were called occupied and a desire was declared to restore constitutional order ^[69] .

Nikitsa Baric argues that the head of Serbia within the framework of Yugoslavia Slobodan Milosevic considered it possible not to hinder the secession of Croatia, but without the territories inhabited by the Serbs. According to Baric, Milosevic wanted Krajina Serbs to become part of the new Yugoslavia ^[70] .

1991

In January 1991, the Krainskaya Ministry of Internal Affairs was created, which brought together all the secretariats of internal affairs, which were out of control of Zagreb. In February 1991, SAOK merged with the territories of Northern Dalmatia and Lika , where the majority of the population were Serbs. On 28 February, the Serbian National Assembly and the Executive Assembly of the ECCA adopted a Resolution on secession from Croatia, based on the results of the referendum, and demanded to remain in the SFRY. On 16 May, the Assembly of the CAOK decided to annex Krajina to Yugoslavia ^{[54] [71]} .

On February 26, the Serbian Autonomous Region of Slavonia, Baranya and Western Srem were established. Later, the Serbian autonomy was also organized in Western Slavonia ^{[72] [73]} .

In the summer of 1991, hostilities began in Krajina between Croatian paramilitary units and the forces of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior, on the one hand, and Serbian militias, on the other ^{[74] [75]} . Gradually, the Yugoslav People's Army ^[76] became involved in the clashes, from which, from the spring of 1991, Croat soldiers deserted en masse. The participation of the JNA in the conflict increased when the Croatian troops began the so-called blockade of the barracks in September 1991 ^{[77] [78]} .

In the spring of 1991, refugees from territories under the control of Zagreb began arriving on the territory of the Northern Administrative Okrug Krajina. Some of them then left for Serbia or Montenegro, but about 100,000 remained in Krajina. The Red Cross of Yugoslavia reported about 250,000 Serbian refugees from the territory of Croatia in 1991 ^[79] . The refugees arrived until a truce in January 1992. At the same time, tens of thousands of Croats and Muslims, under pressure from the Serbs, fled from the territory of Krajina to Croatia during the same period ^[80] . Croatian historian Nikitsa Baric wrote that up to 300,000 non-Serb people fled from the territories controlled by Serbs ^[76] , however, the 1991 census data show that the total number of Croats and other nationalities in the territory of the future Krajina did not exceed 220,000 people ^{[81 ]} .

On December 19, 1991, the Serbian autonomies formed the Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK). According to the adopted Constitution, the RSK was “the national state of the Serbian people and all citizens who live in it”. State symbols were identified - the flag, emblem and anthem. Milan Babich replaced the post of prime minister to the post of president of the republic. The sovereignty of the RSK ^{[69] [82] [83]} was proclaimed.

During 1991, the Croatian Guard and the police committed numerous crimes against the civilian Serb population. The most famous of them occurred in Sisak , Gospic , Vukovar ^[84] , villages of Western Slavonia . Serbian forces also committed numerous war crimes against Croatian military and civilians, including the killing of Croatian prisoners of war in Vukovar, the massacre in Lovas and the massacre in Vočín .

1992

In January 1992, thanks to international intervention, hostilities ceased ^{[85] [86]} , and UN forces ( UNPROFOR ) were deployed on the territory of the RSK. "Blue Helmets" were placed on the confrontation line of the Serbian and Croatian units in order to cease fire and control the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line. Eyewitnesses from among Russian peacekeepers recalled that the Serbs had stockpiled weapons in warehouses under UN supervision, while the Croats were withdrawing equipment in an unknown direction ^[87] .

On June 21, the Croatian army broke the truce, occupying several villages in the Miljevac plateau ^[85] . This led to a drop in confidence in the peacekeepers from the Serbs and an escalation of tensions. As a result of those events, the Krajina Serbs decided that the UN forces would not protect them from possible Croatian aggression, and began to form a regular army ^[88] .

1993

On January 22, the Croatian army launched the operation "Maslenitsa" , occupying Novigrad and the Zemunik airfield ^{[85] [80]} . On January 25, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 802, condemning the Croatian attacks. As a result of the Croatian operation, shelling of cities on both sides resumed, and large-scale hostilities continued until mid-spring. On April 6, representatives of Croatia and DGC signed a truce and signed an agreement on the withdrawal of Croatian units from the occupied territories. UNPROFOR peacekeepers were to take their place. However, later the Croatian authorities refused to perform the contract ^[64] .

In the summer, sporadic shelling continued. The UN Security Council extended the mandate of the peacekeeping force.

On September 9, the Croatian army launched an operation in the so-called Medaksky pocket ^[89] . As a result of the operation, the villages of Divoselo, Pochitelniy and Citluk were occupied and destroyed, and war crimes were committed against the peaceful Serb population ^[90] . After the withdrawal of the Croatian units, the territory of the “pocket” was occupied by UN forces. On November 2, negotiations between RSK and Croatia resumed in Oslo. The Serbian delegation was headed by Goran Hadzic, the Croatian - by Hrvoye Sarinic ^[91] .

1994

1994 passed without major attacks by the Croatian army itself on the territory of the RSK. However, the Croatian army took an active part in operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina against Bosnian Serb troops ^[92] , and consolidated units of the Krajina Serbs participated in the battles in Western Bosnia on the side of autonomists Fikret Abdić ^[93] .

Krajina authorities tried to establish a peaceful life. The government in 1994 developed a stabilization program, began to issue wages. By November, the leadership of the Serbian Krajina planned to complete integration with Yugoslavia. On March 29, 1994, a truce was signed in the Russian embassy in Zagreb between the leadership of the RSK and Croatia. On August 5, the Krajina Serbs held talks with the Croats on economic issues in Knin. In particular, they discussed the prospect of opening a highway through Western Slavonia. In the fall, joint committees began to work — military and agriculture ^[94] . Krajina delegations visited Zagreb on November 8 and 14. On December 2, an agreement was signed between RAC and Croatia on the normalization of economic relations. It was planned to hold talks on the return of refugees, the payment of pensions, the opening of the railway communication. On December 19, the Krajina Serbs opened a message on the former “ Brotherhood-Unity ” highway in Western Slavonia ^[95] .

According to the Russian journalist L. Mlechin, the Croatian authorities, through the Russian embassy in Zagreb, offered the leaders of the Serbian Krajina wide autonomy. However, the Serbian side, with the participation of Slobodan Milosevic, categorically refused this offer ^[96] .

1995

In January 1995, the US ambassador to Croatia, Peter Galbright, proposed a plan for Zagreb-4 to RSK and Croatia. He assumed autonomy for the Kninsky Krajina, and for Western and Eastern Slavonia - full integration into Croatia. The adoption of this plan by the Croatian President Tudjman considered political suicide for himself, but under pressure from American diplomats he promised to consider it in the distant future ^[97] . According to the Serbs, the provisions of the proposed treaty did not guarantee the Serbian population protection against oppression on the basis of nationality. Nevertheless, Milan Babic, while in Belgrade , made a statement that Krajina is ready to accept a slightly revised version of the plan, and called on Croatia to withdraw its troops. However, according to Elena Guskova, Tudjman refused to conduct further negotiations with the Serbs ^[98] .

Instead of continuing diplomatic contacts, the Croatian government chose a military solution to the issue. The RSK was liquidated in May (Western Slavonia) and in August (most part) of 1995 during the Croatian military operations “ Lightning ” and “ Storm ”. During the operation "Lightning", the Croatian army took control of the Serbian enclave of Western Slavonia ^[89] . Trying to prevent the Croatian offensive, President Martić gave the order to fire Zagreb , which was done. Subsequently, the shelling of Zagreb was recognized as a war crime ^[99] . However, this did not prevent the conduct of the Croatian operation. According to the Serbian side, as well as the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch ^[100] , during the “Lightning” numerous crimes were committed against the civilian Serbian population, many people, including children, died ^{[101] [102]} .

The next operation was the “Storm”, during which the Croatian army and police occupied the main part of the Serbian Krajina. 230-250 thousand Serbs fled from the territory of the RSK. During and after Operation Storm, Croatian soldiers committed numerous war crimes against refugee columns and against the remaining civilian population ^[103] , including a massacre in the Courtyard and a massacre in Gruborah . In a later verdict against Generals Gotovina and Markacs, the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia stated that Operation “The Tempest” was part of a joint criminal conspiracy, organized by the Croatian military and political leadership. His goal was the expulsion of Serbs from Croatia and the settlement of Krajina by Croats ^[104] .

The remnants of the RSK (Srema and Baranya Region from 1995 and Sremia, Baranya and Eastern Slavonia Region since 1996 ) existed as autonomies under UN control until the peaceful inclusion in Croatia in early 1998 . According to Savo Strbacz, the head of the non-governmental organization Veritas, after the integration, a significant number of Serbs left these territories - 77,316 people ^[105] .

Serbs

According to population censuses, which were conducted repeatedly in the SFRY, the Serbs in Croatia were:

• in 1948 - 543,795 people.
• in 1953 - 588,756 people.
• in 1961, 624,991 people.
• in 1971 - 627,000 people.
• in 1981 - 531,502 people.
• in 1991 - 581,661 people. Also, 106,041 Yugoslavs were registered in the republic, most of which (from 60 to 80%), according to a number of researchers, were Serbs ^{[106] [107]} .

According to the UN Commissariat for Refugees , by 1993, only 251,000 people had been expelled from Zagreb-controlled territories only ^[108] . Refugees settled mainly in the RSK or in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Some left for the USA, Australia, Canada, etc., thus forming numerous diasporas there. The Red Cross of Yugoslavia reported about 250,000 Serbian refugees from the territory of Croatia in 1991 ^[79] . In 1994, more than 180,000 refugees and displaced persons from Croatia were in the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ^[109] .

In 1993, the population of the Serbian Krajina numbered 435,595 people, of whom Serbs made up 91%. According to the General Staff of the Krajina Army, in 1993 there were 87,000 people living in Northern Dalmatia, 48,389 people in Lika, 51,000 people in Kordun, and 88,406 people in Bania ^[3] .

In 1995, approximately 250,000 Serbs ^[110] were expelled from Krajina, including 18,000 during Operation Molnia and 230,000 during Operation Storm.

According to the UN, after Operation Storm in August 1995, only about 5,500 Serbs ^{[111] [112]} remained in the main part of Krajina.

Croats and other nationalities

According to the 1991 census in Yugoslavia, the non-Serb population in the territories of Krajina was ^[81] :

• Kninska Krajina - Croats 28% (70,708 people), other 5% (13,101).
• Western Slavonia - Croats 29% (6,864), other 11% (2,577).
• Eastern Slavonia, Baraniya and Western Srem - Croats 47% (90,454), other 21% (40,217).

During the ethnic cleansing of the non-Serb population in 1991, most of it was expelled from the territory of the RSK ^[81] . By 1992, Croats made up only about 7% of the population of these three territories. In total, at least 170,000 Croats and other non-Serb residents were expelled from the territory of the Serbian Krajina ^[113] .

During the existence of the RSK, it had three presidents and six governments. After independence on December 19, 1991, Milan Babic became president. However, his rule did not last long. Over time, Babic began to clash with Milan Martić , who controlled the police and territorial defense ^[114] .

The creation of the Serbian Krajina at the first stage showed a significant dependence on Yugoslavia and was complicated by political disagreements, which, in turn, led to political instability. Relations between Knin and Belgrade became very complicated already in January 1992. The reason for this was the different views on the peace plan of Vance . Milan Babic considered that the plan was not in the interests of the RSK, while Slobodan Milosevic was in favor of its early adoption. As a result of the disputes, Milosevic stated that Babich completely lost the trust of Belgrade. On January 22, the RSK Assembly rejected the plan to bring peacekeeping forces into Croatia, but already on February 9, under pressure from politicians from Belgrade, who had many supporters in the RSK, nevertheless approved it. February 26, Babich was removed from his post. At the suggestion of Belgrade, Goran Hadzic was elected the new president, and Zdravko Zecevic became head of the government. As Babich and his supporters did not agree with the decision of the Assembly, for some time there was a dual power in the RSK. December 12, 1993 in Krajina held the first multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections. With the support of Milosevic, Milan Martic won in the second round of the election. At the same time, Babich agreed to the compromise position of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ^[114] .

President

During the existence of the RAC, its presidents were:

• Milan Babic December 19, 1991 - February 26, 1992.
• Goran Hadzic February 26, 1992 - December 1993
• Milan Babic (December 1993 - January 1994) was elected in December 1993, but in January 1994, Milan Martic won the new election.
• Milan Martic February 12, 1994 - August 1995

Against all the Presidents of the DGC, further charges were filed in the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) . Milan Babic was accused of driving people for political, racial or religious reasons ^[115] . He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 13 years in prison, but committed suicide in 2006 ^[116] . Milan Martić was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment for war crimes, violations of the laws and customs of war, and the expulsion of the non-Serb population from Krajina ^[99] and is serving a term in Tartu ( Estonia ). After the arrest of the former Bosnian Serb commander Stoyan Zuplyanin on June 11, 2008, the arrest of the former Bosnian Serb political leader Radovan Karadzic on July 21, 2008 and the arrest of the former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladić on May 26, 2011, Goran Hadzic remained the most sought after in search. Serbian authorities announced a reward for information on the whereabouts of Hadzic in the amount of 5 million euros. After seven years of searching, he was arrested on July 20, 2011. ^{[117] [118]} .

Government

According to the Constitution of the RSK, the Government was the carrier of executive power in the republic. Total in DGC from 1990 to 1995 there were six governments ^[119] :

• Government under the leadership of Milan Babic (May 29, 1991 - December 19, 1991)
• Government under the leadership of Risto Matkovich (December 19, 1991 - February 26, 1992)
• Government under the leadership of Zdravko Zechevich (February 26, 1992 - March 28, 1993)
• Government under the leadership of George Biegovic (March 28, 1993 - April 21, 1994)
• Government under the leadership of Borislav Mikelić (April 21, 1994 - July 27, 1995)
• The government under the leadership of Milan Babich (July 27, 1995 - before the signing of the Dayton Accords and the abolition of the RSK)

DGC governments were formed according to political principles and, as a rule, appointed ministers were not experts in their field. The first two governments were immigrants from Knin and Northern Dalmatia, which, according to Kosta Novakovich, did not allow them to influence the situation in other regions of the RSK ^[120] .

Parliament

The first Assembly of the Serbian Krajina was formed at the end of 1990 from the Assembly of the Northern Administrative District of Krajina, the Regional Assembly of Western Slavonia and the Great National Assembly of Eastern Slavonia, West Srem and Barania. It numbered more than 200 deputies. On December 19, 1991, the Assembly adopted the Constitution and proclaimed the creation of the Republika Srpska Krajina ^[121] . At the beginning of 1992, her activities were complicated by internal contradictions caused by different attitudes to the "Vance plan" proposed as the basis for a peaceful settlement. Milan Babic resisted the adoption of this plan, and deputies from among his supporters gathered in Knin, receiving the nickname “Knin Assembly”. Another part of the deputies under the leadership of Speaker Mile Paspala met in Clay and was nicknamed the “Glinsky Assembly.” Only in 1993 was it possible to form a single parliament in Serb Krajina ^[122] .

The assembly of the Serbian Krajina consisted of 84 deputies elected in the republican elections. Deputy mandate lasted four years. The speaker and his deputies were supposed to represent all three Krainsky enclaves. According to the RSC Constitution, the Assembly was to meet twice a year at the session - on the first working day of March and the first working day of October. The duration of the session should not exceed 90 days. The Assembly was responsible for changing the constitution, passing laws, controlling the work of the government, adopting a budget, changing administrative divisions, etc. ^[123] .

Constitution

The Constitution of the Serbian Krajina was approved on December 19, 1991 at the meetings of the Assembly of the Serbian Autonomous Region of Krajina, the Great People's Assembly of the Serbian Region of Slavonia, Baran and Western Srem and the Assembly of the Serbian Autonomous Region of Western Slavonia. The main law of the RSK consisted of 8 chapters, numbering 123 points ^[123] .

According to the constitution, the Republika Srpska Krajina was proclaimed a national state for representatives of the Serbian people and all its citizens. The capital was the city of Knin, the national anthem was the anthem of Serbia - “God of Truth”. The Constitution also established the flag and emblem of the new state. The official language was recognized as Serbian in Cyrillic and Latin ^[123] .

Law Enforcement Authorities

Since the beginning of the Serbian-Croatian confrontation, the Police Krajina played a significant role in the first clashes. In the process of pressure on the Serbs, the Croatian government dismissed the majority of Serbs from the central office of the republican Ministry of Internal Affairs and many settlements, where the majority of the population were Croats ^[69] . An attempt to do the same and introduce new service symbols on the police uniform in the places of compact residence of the Serbs came up against the resistance of the Serb policemen. With the beginning of the first clashes, law enforcement agencies in a number of cities withdrew from the subordination of the republican Ministry of Internal Affairs and formed the Krajina Militia, headed by the police inspector from Knin Milan Martic . On January 4, 1991, the Interior Secretariat was established, headed by Martin. Militia Krajina repeatedly participated in hostilities, despite the fact that its staff were armed only with light weapons. According to Western researchers, in July 1991 it numbered about 7 thousand fighters with a reserve of 20 thousand people ^[124] . According to Serbian authors, on October 9, 1991, the Police counted 1,200 ordinary policemen, 500 people in special units and 1,200 reservists. They were subordinate to the seven Secretaries of the Interior (in Knin , Korenica, Petrinje, Voinich, Okuchani, Beli Manastir and Vukovar ) ^[124] .

On April 28, 1992, the Office of Separate Police Units was established. These units consisted of eight brigades totaling 24,000 men and represented a kind of transitional organization between the Territorial Defense and the regular army. Their task was to cover the border. With the creation of the regular army in October 1992, they were dissolved. Normal police existed until the end of 1995. On October 5, 1994, it numbered 3,850 people, including 1950 police officers, 183 inspectors, 591 special forces soldiers, 422 employees and 694 people in reserve. On July 1, 1996, the Krajina Militia forces in Eastern Slavonia, Baranje and Western Sreme were transformed into a “Transition Police” formed from Serbs, Croats and UN observers. On December 15, 1997, these forces formally became part of the police of the Republic of Croatia ^[124] .

The RSK was established judicial authority. The Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, and district and municipal courts were formed. In 1994, a military court was established. At the municipal and republican level, the activities of the prosecutor's office were also organized ^[125] .

Armed Forces

In the summer of 1990, self-defense units were established on the basis of police units and volunteers in Krajina, as well as their own police secretariats staffed by Serb police officers who refused to submit to the authorities in Zagreb. In January 1991, a special department of internal affairs was created, which allowed the Serbs in Krajina to coordinate the activities of the Police. Around the same period, within the framework of the Krajina Militia, a special unit of volunteers was created, who were called “Martichevtsi” ( Serb. Martichevtsi ) by the name of their commander Milan Martić. In the summer of 1991, detachments of the Territorial Defense were mobilized in Krajina, in some cases they were led by officers of the Yugoslav Army. After the signing of the truce in 1992, the Yugoslav people's army left Croatia and Krajina, leaving some of the heavy weapons to the Serbs. It was stored under the supervision of UN peacekeepers. Since the units of the Territorial Defense were assigned to the barracks, only the brigades of separate police units ( Serbian militia unit ), whose fighters were armed only with small arms, remained on the line of military contact. These brigades were subordinated to a special department within the Krai Ministry of the Interior.

The Croatian attack on the Milevach plateau demonstrated that the peacekeepers would not defend the RSK, and on October 16, 1992, the creation of the Serbian army of Krajina — the regular Krajinsky army — was proclaimed ^[126] . A military reform was carried out, according to which the units of the Territorial Defense and the brigades of individual police units were transformed into army brigades and detachments. All of them were distributed between the six corps and the General Staff building. The army of the Serbian Krajina consisted of the General Staff, staff units, army corps and the Air Force and Air Defense. Basically, the Krainsky corps consisted of a headquarters, several infantry brigades, an artillery battalion, an anti-tank battalion, an air defense battalion, and a rear base ^[127] . Some corps had special detachments, and in the 7th corps there was an armored train . All Krai corps, with the exception of the Corps of special units created in the summer of 1995, were created according to the territorial principle ^[128] .

An important body coordinating the activities of the Ministry of Defense and army units was the Supreme Defense Council. It consisted of the president, the prime minister, the minister of defense, the minister of the interior, and the army commander. The Supreme Defense Council proclaimed martial law, led the defense in the event of a threat, the mobilization of the army and its military operations, etc. ^[123] .

After the destruction of Krajina in 1995, a significant part of the ICS armament was evacuated into the territory of the Republika Srpska and transferred to its army . In the same place remained part of the Krajina soldiers. The last surviving 11th East Slavon Corps SVK was replenished in the fall of 1995 and received weapons from the FRY . After the Erdut Agreement, it was disbanded on June 21, 1996, ^[124] and the weapons were handed over to the Yugoslav Army ^[129] .

Economy

According to a number of researchers, during the socialist period, the territories that became part of the RSK were developed much less than the rest of Croatia ^[37] . Infrastructure was less developed, tourism potential was much less, as was the volume of investments . Before the war, many industrial facilities in the Krajina cities were part of industrial complexes located in Croatia or in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fighting caused significant damage to the infrastructure of the RSK, interrupted many production and trade relations. The housing stock suffered greatly. The imposition of sanctions against Yugoslavia has also affected the situation in the RSK, worsening the already difficult economic situation ^[130] .

When creating their own state, the Krajina authorities believed that they could adjust the economy through close cooperation with Yugoslavia and the Bosnian Serbs ^[130] . However, assistance from Belgrade was complicated by international sanctions. Nevertheless, the economy in Krajina continued to function during the period of hostilities ^[131] .

In 1992, the government decided to support enterprises that were publicly owned before the war, since they faced the greatest difficulties. It adopted its own currency - the dinar of the Serbian Krajina , but due to significant inflation, it is constantly depreciated. In 1993, hyperinflation began, making it impossible to adopt a republican budget. In early 1994, in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a new dinar was introduced, tied to a German mark at a 1: 1 rate. It was adopted as a single currency in the Serbian Krajina and the Republika Srpska, and as a result, hyperinflation was stopped. The new government, under the leadership of Borislav Mikelić, adopted a budget and began to renew the economy ^[130] .

Many enterprises of the RSK tried to reorient themselves to the sales markets in Serbia and the Republika Srpska, which was only partially possible. In 1994, a program was developed to stabilize the economy and finance. The functioning of the monetary system and banks depended entirely on Belgrade ^[131] . Agricultural land of 700,000 hectares was actively used. However, due to the lack of fuel for equipment and insufficient funding, agriculture in the DGC demonstrated low efficiency. In particular, in 1994, in Eastern Slavonia, 45% of the land was prepared for sowing, but in the end, only 30% of the crop was harvested ^[132] . The forest fund with an area of ​​540,000 hectares with an annual increase of 1,500,000 cubic meters of volume was also actively used. At the same time, the media repeatedly stated that deforestation in the same Eastern Slavonia was carried out without regulation and planning. Oil was also produced in this region, but in insufficient volumes to cover the fuel shortage ^[133] . The oil extracted in Krajina was sent for processing to the refinery in Pancevo in Yugoslavia. Then it was implemented on the territory of the RSK. At the same time, part of the fuel was allocated for the needs of the army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs ^[134] .

Culture and Education

The first measures to create an education system independent of Zagreb were taken in September 1990, when the Cultural and Educational Council of Northern Dalmatia and Lika was founded. In March 1991, the Ministry of Education was established, located in Knin with local offices in the cities of Beli Manastir and Topusko (created a little later). The Ministry was headed by Dusan Badja, a professor from Obrovac . With the outbreak of hostilities, the educational process was repeatedly interrupted. From time to time, the schools themselves were also bombarded and destroyed.

In June 1993, the Krajina government decided to establish the Nikola Tesla University with the university administration in Knin. Within its framework four faculties were created ^[135] :

• Philosophical (Petrinya)
• Agricultural (Beli Manastir)
• Polytechnic (Knin)
• Social Sciences (Knin)

The university was greatly assisted by teachers from Serbia and Republika Srpska ^[135] .

The following subjects were studied at RSK schools: Serbian language and literature, history, geography, musical and visual arts, nature and society, religious education. The textbooks were prepared by the Institute of Textbooks of the Republic of Serbia. Also from Serbia humanitarian aid came to both individual students and entire schools. The children of the dead soldiers received textbooks as a gift. In addition to Serbia, Greece and Russia also provided significant assistance to the education system of the RSK ^[136] .

In the summer of 1993, the National Library was founded in Krajina, the funds of which were supported by the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. On 16 June, the Serbian National Theater was established in Knin. His ensemble took part in joint festivals in the cities of Krajina with theatrical groups from the Republic of Serbian and Yugoslavia. Somewhat later, the Kraјina Film Documentary Center was founded in Knin ^[135] . Numerous cultural events were held in the Houses of the Serbian Army Krajina, in particular in Knin, Benkovac, Petrinje, Glina and Beli Manastir. They were also organized by cultural societies ^[137] . In addition, in Krajina certain measures were taken to organize the work of museums. Most museums functioned in Knin (Knin Fortress), Benkovac, Petrov-Gore, Topusko, Vukovar, and Beli-Manastir ^[137] .

The RSK broadcast the State Radio and Television, as well as radio stations in Benkovac, Knin, Gracanica, Korenica, Slunj, Vrginmost, Petrini, Okuchani, Vukovar, Borovo-Sele, Mirkovtsy and Beli Manastir. At the end of 1993, in support of the election campaign of Milan Martić, with the support of the FRY, began broadcasting “Television in Plitvice” ^[137] .

After the destruction of the RSK in August 1995, many pupils and students continued their education in Serbia. In the autumn of 1995, 15,900 pupils of basic schools, 6,100 students of secondary schools and 1,890 students ^[138] were enrolled in Serbian educational institutions from families of refugees from the RSK.

Healthcare

Before the outbreak of the war, health care in the territory of the future DGC was integrated into the Croatian health system. It included 9 hospitals (in Knin , Benkovac , Obrovac, Gračac , Korenica, Donji Lapice, Dvor-on-Una, Kostajnice, Vrginmost and Vojniche ) and three medical centers (in Knin, Glyn and Petrin). On average, there were 1,412 inhabitants per doctor. Least of all this figure was in Knin - 532 people, while in Voynich it was 2233 people. There were 4.53 hospital beds per thousand people ^[139] .

After the outbreak of hostilities in 1991, the health care system in the NAO Krajins was reformed in the direction of autonomy and interaction with the medical services of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In the autumn of 1991, two regional medical centers were created: in Knin - responsible for Dalmatia and Lika - and in Clay, responsible for Kordun and Bania. Considerable attention was also paid to the provision of medical assistance to refugees from territories under the control of the Croatian Guard and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which numbered about 100,000 people. Throughout the conflict, the Military Medical Academy from Belgrade and various humanitarian organizations, as well as the Serbian Orthodox Church, provided considerable assistance to the doctors from the RSK ^[140] .

Sports

The first measures for the development of sports in the RSK were taken on September 28, 1992, when the Law on Physical Culture was approved. After that, various alliances began to be created, including football in Srba, basketball in Knin, volleyball in Vukovar, handball in Beli Manastir, chess in Borovo-Nasilje, etc. There was also the RAC Olympic Committee. Competitions were periodically held between teams from the RSK and the Republika Srpska. In particular, athletes from the RSK took part in the championships of the Army of the Republic of Srpska in winter sports, which took place at Jahorina ^[141] . Also in Krajina from 1992 to 1995 there was a football league, the most popular club of which was Dinara from Knin ^[142] . Basically, most sporting events were held in Knin and Vukovar. In the RSK there were numerous female teams. For example, there were six basketball teams, named after the cities where they were founded. Of these, the Knin team ^[142] achieved the greatest results.

Most citizens of Serbian Krajina professed Orthodoxy . The territory of the RSK was under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church . On the territory of the Krajina there existed the Zagreb-Ljubljana Metropolis , the Gornokarlovatsky Diocese ( Karlovac ), the Slavonian Diocese ( Pakrac ), the Osijekopolska-Baranyka Diocese ( Dal ), the Dalmatian Diocese ( Šibenik ). There were Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries in the country. The largest, oldest and most famous were the monasteries of Dragovic , Gomirye , Krka , Krupa and Lepavina . During the fighting, many Serbian churches were destroyed or significantly damaged. Thus, in 1993, Croatian troops destroyed the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and the residence of the Gornokarlovatsky Diocese. A total of 78 Orthodox churches ^[143] , 96 church buildings, 10 cemeteries, one patriarchal sacristy, a church museum, two church libraries and two archives were destroyed in 1990-1995. 94 churches and 4 monasteries were looted ^[37] .

The Croatian minority professed Catholicism . Many Catholic churches were also completely or partially destroyed during the fighting. In the course of the massacres in Lovas ^[144] , Shiroka Kula and Vochin ^[145], Serb paramilitary units partially or completely destroyed the Catholic churches in these settlements.

Serbian and Croatian religious figures actively participated in peacekeeping activities during the war. In 1991, Metropolitan of Zagreb and Ljubljana Jovan organized meetings of the Serbian Patriarch Pavel and the Catholic Cardinal Franjo Kukharic . He also organized a meeting between Patriarch Pavel and Croatian President Franjo Tudjman .

During the war, not only in Krajina, but also in the rest of the territory of Croatia, a large number of Orthodox and Catholic churches were destroyed. The flows of refugees ( Serbs from Croatia , Croats from Bosnia and Herzegovina ) led to a significant change in the ethno-confessional pattern.

Currently, there is a Government of the Republic of Serb Krajina in exile. The current chairman of the government of the Serbian Krajina in exile is Milan Martic .

The activity of the government of the Serbian Krajina in exile was resumed in 2005 . Prime Minister of the government in exile, which included 6 ministers, became Milorad Bukh . Members of the government in exile declared that they intend to push for a plan based on Z-4 and their ultimate goal was to achieve for the Serbs “more autonomy, but less independence than in Croatia” ^[146] .

On September 12, 2008, the Assembly and the Government of the Republic of Serbian Krajina in exile recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia . The decree of the unrecognized Serbian state states ^[147] :

Currently, the Serbs have 3 seats in the Croatian Parliament . The main Croatian Serb parties are the Independent Democratic Serb Party (UDSS) and the Serbian People’s Party (SNS). UDSS representatives occupy all 3 Serb seats in the Croatian parliament. UDSS member Slobodan Uzelac is Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia . Also in Croatia there are the Party of the Danube Serbs , the Democratic Serb Party and the New Serb Party ^[148] .

• Serbs in Croatia
• The history of mail and postage stamps of Serbian Krajina
• Serbian Socialist Party
• Serbian Autonomous Region West Slavonia

in Russian

• Vasilyeva, Nina, Gavrilov, Victor. Balkan dead end? The historical fate of Yugoslavia in the XX century. - M .: Gaia ITERUM, 2000. - ISBN 5855890635 .
• Guskova E.Yu. History of the Yugoslav crisis (1990-2000). - M .: Russian law / Russian National Fund, 2001. - 720 p. - ISBN 5941910037 .
• Guskova E.Yu. Independent Croatia with independent Serbs // Yugoslavia in the 20th century: political history essays / K. V. Nikiforov (ed.), A. I. Filimonova, A. L. Shemyakin, etc. - M .: Indrik, 2011. - 888 s. - ISBN 9785916741216 .
• Rudneva I.V. Serbian people in Croatia - a national minority? // National minorities in the countries of Central and Southeastern Europe: historical experience and modern state / E. P. Serapionova. - M .: Institute of Slavic Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, 2014. - 552 p. - ISBN 978-5-7576-0317-9 .
• Our peacekeepers in the Balkans / Guskova E.Yu. - M .: Indrik, 2007. - 360 p. - ISBN 5-85759-397-2 .
• Early feudal states in the Balkans Vi-XII centuries. . - M .: Science, 1985. - 364 p.

in Serbo-Croatian

• Vrceљ M. Rath for Srpsku Krajin: 1991-1995. - Beograd: Srpsko kulturno drustvo "Zora", 2002. - 254 p. - ISBN 86-83809-06-4 .
• Glavash Dusan. Our Kraјina: warrior diary 1990-1995. year . - Kigiga Komerts, 205. - 230 p. - ISBN 86-7712-081-5 .
• Stanko Nishi. Hrvatska oluka and srpske seobe . - Beograd: Kigiga Commerce, 2002.
• Dakyz M. Srpska Krajina: historical themes and nastanak. - Knin: Iskra, 1994. - 95 p. - ISBN 86-82393-01-8 .
• Dakyz M. Kraјina kroz viyekove: from the history of political, national and civil rights of the people from Hrvatskoj. - Beograd, 2002.
• Novakovi ћ Costa. Srpska Krajina: (make it clear, padovi uzdizaka). - Beograd; Knin: Srpsko kulturno drushvo Zora , 2009. - 602 p. - ISBN 978-86-83809-54-7 .
• Raduloviħ S. Sudbina Krajine. - Beograd: Dan Graf, 1996. - 189 p.
• Radoslaw I. Chubrilo, Beљana R. Ivkoviћ, Dusan аковakoviћ, Adamov Јovan, Milan Ђ. Family and others. Srpska Kraјina. - Beograd: Matiћ, 2011. - 742 p.
• Republika Srpska Krajina: tenths of the time afterwards / [the wrecker Veљko Ђuriћ Mishina]. - Beograd: Dobry Volya, 2005. - 342 p. - ISBN 86-83905-04-7 .
• Republika Srpska Krajina: next ten years after. Kњ. 2 / [Urednik Veљko óuriћ Mishina]. - Beograd: Dobry Volya, 2005. - 250 p. - ISBN 86-83905-05-5 .
• Chubrilo Rade. Ospon and Pad Krajine. - Beograd: Drushtva “Srpska Krajina”, 2002. - 250 p. - ISBN 86-82199-05-X .
• Strbats, Savo . Rat and rishech . - Baњa Luka: Grafid, 2011. - 190 p. - ISBN 9789993853749 .
• Sekulić, Milisav . Knin je pao u Beogradu . - Nidda Verlag, 2000.
• Tarbuk Slobodan . Rat na Baniji 1991-1995 . - Srpsko Kulturno Društvo "Zora", 2009. - 441 p.
• Barić, Nikica. Srpska pobuna u Hrvatskoj 1990-1995. - Zagreb: Golden marketing. Tehnička knjiga, 2005.
• Davor Marjan. Oluja . - Zagreb: Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski center Domovinskog rata, 2007. - 445 p. Archive dated December 31, 2014 on Wayback Machine
• Radelić Zdenko, Marijan Davor, Barić Nikica, Bing Albert, Živić Dražen. Stvaranje hrvatske države i Domovinski rat. - Zagreb: Školska knjiga i Institut za povijest, 2006. - ISBN 953-0-60833-0 .

in English

• Nigel Thomas, Krunoslav Mikulan, Darko Pavlovic. The Yugoslav Wars (1): Slovenia & Croatia 1991-95 . - Oxford: Osprey publishing, 2006. - 64 p. - ISBN 1-84176-963-0 .
• David C. Isby. Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995 . - Washington: Diane Publishing Company, 2003. - Vol. 1. - 501 p. - ISBN 978-0-7567-2930-1 .
• R. Craig Nation. War in the Balkans 1991-2002. - US Army War College, 2003. - 388 p. - ISBN 1-58487-134-2 .

• Krajinaforce - site of Serb refugees from the RSK (Serb.) . The appeal date is February 9, 2013. Archived February 15, 2013.
• Site about Serbian Krajina (Serb.) . The appeal date is February 9, 2013. Archived February 15, 2013.
• Government of the RSK in exile (Serb.) (Inaccessible link) . The appeal date is February 9, 2013. Archived February 15, 2013.
• Documentary film about Serbian Krajina (Serb.) . The appeal date is February 9, 2013.
• Srbi y Hrvatskoj pre and after the collapse of Jugoslaviaj (Serb.) . The appeal date is November 15, 2016.