Serbian Army of Krajina

The Serbian Army of Krajina (Serbian: Српска војска Крајине, СВК / Srpska vojska Krajine, SVK) 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
Dates of operation1992–1995
Allegiance Serbian Krajina
Size55,000 soldiers
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. Commander-in-ChiefTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Babić, MilanMilan Babić
(1956–2006)		199219920 years
2
Hadžić, GoranGoran Hadžić
(1958–2016)		199219941–2 years
3
Martić, MilanMilan Martić
(born 1954)		199419950–1 years

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

Structure
Main article: Main Staff of the Serbian Army of Krajina
Territorial organization of SVK
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.[1]
  • According to the General Staff in 1994: 62,805 (2,890 officers, 4,329 non-commissioned officers and 55,886 soldiers).[2]
  • According to General Milisav Sekulić: 71,409 (3,291 officers, 3,424 non-commissioned officers and 60,496 soldiers).[2]

Mercenaries and paramilitary

There were around 700 former JNA officers, mostly from Serbia and Montenegro, that fought on RSK's side. Foreign fighters were mostly from Russia.[3] Paramilitary organizations established in Serbia (but including Croatian Serb volunteers) supporting the RSK were White Eagles (Beli orlovi), Serb Volunteer Guard (known as Tigrovi), Serbian Guard (Srpska garda), and others.

Equipment
Equipment
percent
Tanks
 
 80%
Armoured personnel carriers
 
 15%
Helicopters
 
 5%
  • Krajina Airforce G-2 Galeb
  • Krajina Airforce Aérospatiale Gazelle
  • Krajina Airforce Utva 66
  • Krajina Airforce Zlin Z-526

See also

References
  1. Novaković 2009, p. 292.
  2. Рат за опстанак Срба Крајишника. Зборник радова 1. - Београд: Тело Принт. - 2010, с. 199.
  3. "Use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination – Note by the Secretary-General". United Nations. 29 August 1995. Retrieved 23 January 2011.

Sources

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