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120-451: Bjelašnica was, in certain areas, the site of extensive combat during the 1992–95 Siege of Sarajevo and particular areas pose a high mine risk. There are numerous trails set up and maintained by local mountain clubs that lead to the bald peaks higher up. The mountain is also visited by mountain bikers and has become a base for some paragliders . The mountain's name stems from the root bijel , which means "white". Geologically, Bjelašnica

240-612: A national assembly dominated by three ethnically based parties, which had formed a loose coalition to oust the communists from power. Croatia and Slovenia 's subsequent declarations of independence and the warfare that ensued placed Bosnia and Herzegovina and its three constituent peoples in an awkward position. A significant split soon developed on the issue of whether to stay with the Yugoslav federation (overwhelmingly favoured among Serbs) or to seek independence (overwhelmingly favoured among Bosniaks and Croats ). Throughout 1990,

360-520: A state of emergency the following day. Later that day, Serb paramilitaries in Sarajevo repeated their action of the previous month. A crowd of peace marchers, between 50,000 and 100,000 comprising all ethnic groups, rallied in protest . When a huge crowd approached a barricade, a demonstrator was killed by Serb forces. Six Serb snipers were arrested, but were exchanged when the Serbs threatened to kill

480-789: A French design, four British Ham-class minesweepers , and six 117-class inshore minesweepers built in domestic shipyards. Larger numbers of older and less capable minesweepers were mainly used in riverine operations. Other older units were used as dedicated minelayers. The navy used amphibious landing craft in support of army operations in the area of the Danube , Sava , and Drava rivers. They included both tank and assault landing craft. In 1990, there were four 501-class, ten 211-class, and twenty-five 601-class landing craft in service. Most of them were also capable of laying mines in rivers and coastal areas. The Yugoslav Navy had 10,000 sailors (including 4,400 conscripts and 900 marines). They were essentially

600-525: A Serb tank, destroying it. From 15 to 22 June, the ARBiH would launch an offensive into the Sarajevo Region to try to recapture lost territories from the Serbs. In the north, the 16th Division/ 1st Corps attacked Cemerska Hills and recaptured it. The Serbs would attack and capture Cemerska hills from the ARBiH. From the center, the 12th Division/1st Corps attacked Serb position of Debelo Brdo . In

720-549: A UN Safe Area (along with Žepa, Goražde, Tuzla, and Bihać). These cities and territories were placed under the protection of UNPROFOR peacekeeping units. On 5 February 1994 at 12:10–12:15, a 120-millimeter mortar shell landed in the center of the crowded marketplace and killed 68 and injured 144. The perpetrators were the Army of Republika Srpska. In December 2003, the ICTY convicted Bosnian Serb General Stanislav Galić , concluded that

840-489: A Ukrainian UNPROFOR peacekeeper. In response to the attack, the UN once again requested NATO air support. Two U.S. A-10 aircraft repeatedly strafed Serb targets, and the Serbs returned the seized weapons to the collection site. On 22 September, UNPROFOR again requested NATO air support in the Sarajevo area after Serb forces attacked a French armored personnel carrier . In response, two British SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft struck near

960-706: A brigade HQ and 4 battalions and B class brigade had 2–3 battalions with HQ. The "Jedinstvo 3" plan started in 1990. To the military leadership of the JNA, it was obvious that USSR was moving to defend its internal borders and the only global superpower left was the USA. It was then agreed in JNA that potential for aggression from the Warsaw Pact had diminished but potential aggression from NATO had increased. The new plan "Jedinstvo 3" included changes to organize better defenses from new perceived external threats. The plan required

1080-498: A coastal defence force with the mission of preventing enemy amphibious landings along the country's rugged 4,000-kilometer shoreline and coastal islands, and contesting enemy blockade or control of the strategic Strait of Otranto . The entire coast of Yugoslavia was part of the naval region headquartered at Split . The naval region was divided into three smaller naval districts and a riverine flotilla with major naval bases located at Split, Šibenik , Pula , Ploče and Kotor on

1200-531: A crisis. Because of internal and external security changes during that time, "Jedinstvo" was later modeled in three parts: "Jedinstvo 1", "Jedinstvo 2", and "Jedinstvo 3", starting from 1987 (with a planned completion date of 1995) for the JNA to start major reform. The first part of JNA major overhaul under "Jedinstvo 1" had its basic force structure nearly completed in 1989. Manpower was planned to be reduced to about 1 million in wartime, while in peacetime it would be 299,057 personnel including officers, soldiers and

1320-405: A deliberate provocation. The groom's father was killed, and an Orthodox priest was wounded. Some of the witnesses identified the shooter as Ramiz Delalić , a Bosniak gangster who had become increasingly brazen since the collapse of communism. Arrest warrants were issued for him and another assailant, but little effort was made by the Sarajevo police to apprehend them. The killing was denounced by

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1440-480: A force of two tanks and 40–50 Bosnian Serb soldiers blockaded the road. The Serbs, acting on radioed information from a Serbian military liaison officer at the airport that "Turkish fighters" were on their way to reinforce the Bosnian defenders, accused the three French soldiers manning the armored vehicle of transporting "Turkish mujahedeen". After a Serbian military liaison officer identified the passenger as Turajlić,

1560-496: A modern ski resort. The latest redevelopment has seen the replacement of the old ski lift with two modern ski lifts and a state of the art snow production system, ready to operate for the 2017/2018 ski season. This was done as part of the preparations for the 2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival , which was hosted by Sarajevo and Istočno Sarajevo in February 2019. The Bjelašnica range consists of basically three ridges ,

1680-610: A motorist was killed by armed Serbs in Doboj . By the end of the day, twelve people had been killed in the fighting. Following Bosnia and Herzegovina's official declaration of independence from Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992, sporadic fighting broke out between Serbs and government forces all across the territory. It continued through the run-up to Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognition as an independent state. On 3 March, Bosnia's Bosniak President Alija Izetbegović claimed that Serbs from Pale were marching on Sarajevo. Fighting soon broke out in

1800-520: A new domestic multirole fighter plane called Novi Avion , which was supposed to replace the MiG-21 and J-21 Jastreb fleets entirely. The design of the new aircraft was influenced by the Mirage 2000 and Dassault Rafale fighter types and it was to enter service by the early 2000s. As an interim solution, a modernization package was planned for the MiG-21 and it is speculated that India's MiG-21 Bison upgrade

1920-478: A nuclear explosion and was destroyed by the JNA in 1992 to prevent its capture. Željava was home to the 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment, which was composed of the 124th and 125th Fighter Squadrons, equipped with MiG-21Bis fighters, and the 352nd Reconnaissance Squadron, equipped with MiG-21R aircraft. The Air and Air Defence Forces were headquartered at Zemun and had fighter and bomber aircraft, helicopters, and air defence artillery units at air bases throughout

2040-598: A renaissance in the following decade after violence erupted in Kosovo . While the goal of Serbian nationalists was the centralization of a Serb -dominated Yugoslavia, other nationalities in Yugoslavia aspired to federalization and the decentralization of the state. On 18 November 1990, the first multi-party parliamentary elections were held in Bosnia and Herzegovina (with a second round on 25 November). They resulted in

2160-542: A total of total of 760 105mm, 155mm, and 203mm artillery pieces. The artillery pieces delivered were used to reequip artillery units within Yugoslavia's eight divisions. Under the constitution and laws of SFR Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav People's Army was a part of the armed forces with the Territorial Defense as the joint armed forces of all working people and citizens of Yugoslavia. The main task of

2280-489: A total population of 525,980. According to some estimates, the total population of the city proper prior to the siege was 435,000. Estimates of the population of Sarajevo after the siege ranged from 300,000 to 380,000. Sarajevo's population endured up to six months without gas, electricity or water supply during certain stages of the siege. After the war, the International Criminal Tribunal for

2400-489: A tunnel beneath the runway that ran between the Sarajevo neighborhoods of Dobrinja and Butmir . It would be known as the " Sarajevo Tunnel ". It would become the only land link besieged Sarajevo had with the rest of the world. Several hundred people died while running across the airstrip, which was the only way in or out of besieged Sarajevo before the Sarajevo War Tunnel was dug. The second half of 1992 and

2520-667: A unit of the Yugoslav Peoples Army (JNA) seized the airport of Sarajevo. It was under the direct control of Belgrade . In May 1992, units of the JNA stationed in Sarajevo found themselves repeatedly under attack. On 2 May, Bosniak forces consisting of the Green Berets and the Patriotic League, opened fire on a column of eight JNA MEDEVAC vehicles in Vojvode Stepe street. This attack caused

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2640-542: Is part of the Dinaric Alps and formed largely of secondary and tertiary sedimentary rock, mostly limestone and dolomite. The white snow cupola of Bjelašnica is a familiar sight from the higher points in Sarajevo in the period from mid-October until early June. Bjelašnica's base is largely forested with mostly beech . However, there are no trees above the 1,500 metre tree line. Bjelašnica has an alpine tundra climate ( ET ) with long, cold winters lasting for most of

2760-592: The Adriatic Fleet. The entire coast of Yugoslavia was part of the naval region headquartered at Split , Croatia. The Partisans had operated many small boats in raids harassing Italian convoys in the Adriatic Sea during World War II. After the war, the navy operated numerous German and Italian submarines, destroyers, minesweepers, and tank-landing craft captured during the war or received as war reparations . The United States provided eight torpedo boats in

2880-538: The Air Force . Almost all Air Force officers had Soviet training, and some of them fled Yugoslavia in Air Force planes. The defectors included Major General Pero Popivoda, who was the head of the Air Force operational service. The Batajnica , Zemun , and Pančevo airbases near Belgrade saw several attacks by groups of saboteurs. The Zemun airbase commander and his deputy fled to Romania. Between 1948 and 1955,

3000-587: The Informbiro period , after 1948, is contested. Low-end estimates indicate that 10–15% of the army's personnel favoured the Soviet position. Yugoslav sources estimate the number of military members arrested ranged from 4,153 officers and soldiers (estimated by Radonjić), to 7,000 imprisoned officers estimated by Milovan Đilas . The purge included 22 officers in the presidential guard regiment reporting directly to Tito , including Momčilo Đurić, wartime commander of

3120-637: The RAM Plan was developed by the State Security Administration (SDB or SDS) and a group of selected Serb officers of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) with the purpose of organizing Serbs outside Serbia , consolidating control of the fledgling SDP, and the prepositioning of arms and ammunition. The plan was meant to prepare the framework for a third Yugoslavia in which all Serbs with their territories would live together in

3240-679: The Siege of Sarajevo . The territory covered by the Bjelasnica range and the Igman plateau between Konjic and the United Nations -controlled Sarajevo Airport was from the outset of the conflict controlled by the ARBiH . By mid-1993, the central plateau of Igman came under increased Serb military pressure, when the suspicion became stronger that the area had become a major logistical artery of

3360-826: The Soko J-22 Orao being its best known product. There was also Zastava Arms for firearms and artillery. Another important manufacturer was Utva in Serbia. The Yugoslav military–industrial complex produced tanks (most notably, the M-84 ), armored vehicles ( BOV APC , BVP M-80 ), various artillery pieces ( mortars , multiple rocket launchers , howitzers ), anti-aircraft weapons, as well as various types of infantry weapons and other equipment. JNA had modern infrastructure with many air bases including underground shelters and command and control centers in many locations including several mountains. The biggest and best known installation

3480-768: The Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and its antecedents from 1945 to 1992. The origins of the JNA started during the Yugoslav Partisans of World War II. As a predecessor of the JNA, the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia (NOVJ) was formed as a part of the anti-fascist People's Liberation War of Yugoslavia in the Bosnian town of Rudo on 22 December 1941. After

3600-866: The Yugoslav Partisan Supreme Headquarters escort battalion. During this period of Soviet blockade, the Yugoslav Army's development stagnated. Forty-nine Yugoslav Army graduates of the General Staff Academy , the Frunze Academy , and other Soviet military academies were deemed potential Soviet supporters. Many of those attending such academies in the USSR at the time of the Tito–Stalin split never returned to Yugoslavia. The split particularly affected

3720-585: The gross national product . A Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) of 30 officers commanded by Brigadier General John W. Harmony was established by the United States in Belgrade in 1951. It operated for ten years, disbursing military grants and arranging another US$ 1 billion in arms sales on favorable terms. Among weapons transferred were 599 M-4A3 tanks , 319 M-47 tanks, 715 M-7, M-18, and M-36 self-propelled guns, 565 M-3A1 and M-8 armored cars, and

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3840-719: The killings in Bijeljina came to light, the Bosnian government announced a general mobilisation call. The SDS responded that this call brought Sarajevo one step closer to war. On 4 April 1992, when Izetbegović ordered all reservists and police in Sarajevo to mobilize, and the SDS called for evacuation of the city's Serbs, there came the "definite rupture between the Bosnian government and Serbs". The following day, ethnic Serb policemen attacked police stations and an Interior Ministry training school. The attack killed two officers and one civilian. The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared

3960-531: The referendum was 63.4% with 99.7% of voters choosing independence. Violence broke out in many places during and after the referendum. On 1 March, a gunman opened fire at a Bosnian Serb wedding procession in Baščaršija , Sarajevo's historical centre and a Bosniak section of the city. The guests were carrying and waving Serbian flags, an act which the Bosniaks, who mostly supported independence, interpreted as

4080-480: The 1960s. In 1990, the main combat units of the submarine service were three Heroj -class submarines armed with 533 mm torpedoes. Two smaller Sava -class submarines entered service in the late 1970s. Two Sutjeska -class submarines had been relegated mainly to training missions by 1990. At that time the navy had apparently shifted to construction of versatile midget submarines. Four Una-class midgets and four Mala-class swimmer delivery vehicles were in service in

4200-565: The Adriatic Sea, and Novi Sad on the River Danube. The strategic islands of Vis and Lastovo were heavily fortified and unauthorised entry was prohibited. The fleet was organized into missile, torpedo, and patrol boat brigades, a submarine division, and minesweeper flotillas. The naval order of battle included four frigates, three corvettes, five patrol submarines, fifty-eight missile, torpedo, and patrol boats, and twenty-eight minesweepers. One antisubmarine warfare helicopter squadron

4320-512: The Bjelasnica ridge and advancing through Babin Dol towards Veliko Polje. However, after the second Markale shelling , on August, 30, NATO started Operation Deliberate Force , in which NATO aircraft engaged VRS Command & Control facilities and other targets. Also the VRS-held radar station on Vlahinja ridge was completely destroyed during these air strikes that lasted until 14 September 1995, when

4440-518: The Games, a road was constructed across the Igman plateau connecting Sarajevo through Hadžići to the Malo Polje, Veliko Polje and Babin Dol venues. The Babin Dol area has several structures dating from that time, including the renowned Maršal (then: Famos) Hotel and most of the skiing facilities in the area. FIS World Cup events took place on 18 January 1983 and 21–22 March 1987. In 1983 it was only

4560-661: The Giant Slalom run there are four more pistes varying in length between 3200 and 550 meters and covering all difficulty levels between blue-red-black. A lot of investment has been done to develop the Ski Centre and the Babin Dol area since the era directly following the Dayton Agreement , with another peak during the last couple of years. New hotels, apartment complexes and restaurants have turned this area into

4680-470: The Guard's motorized brigade, school centers, three SIGNAL regiments, a light anti-aircraft artillery regiment, and a few independent battalions and divisions. In the "Jedinstvo 1" reforms, JNA eliminated most of its old divisional infantry organization and established the brigade and corps structure with some independent units under direct command of SSNO. Territorial defense was also changed and laws and

4800-585: The Igman plateau, had already been recognized by the JNA and Yugoslav leadership headed by Marshal Tito . A large radar site was constructed on a subsummit of the Vlahinja ridge, while a communications centre and tower was constructed next to the weather station on the nearby Bjelašnica summit. However, Bjelašnica was usurped in the course of the Bosnian War as an area of major strategic importance as part of

4920-494: The JNA on 1 January 1990 had: and many others, including 19 military police battalions and river flotilla giving in total 28 divisions, 307 brigades and regiments and 137 independent battalions/divisions. Under "Jedinstvo 3" until 1995, the structure of the JNA was: There were other units that had smaller but more modern and mobile forces with more mobile A class units with a total of 19 divisions, 234. brigades and 104 independent battalions/regiments in 1995. Total manpower at

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5040-463: The JNA to retreat to Serb-held positions in Lukavica district. On 2 May 1992, Bosnian Serb forces established a total blockade of the city. They blocked the major access roads, cutting supplies of food and medicine, and also cut off the city's utilities (e.g., water, electricity and heating). Although they possessed superior weaponry, they were greatly outnumbered by ARBiH soldiers who were defending

5160-929: The Osa I class. The Kobra class was to be armed with eight Swedish RBS-15 anti-ship missiles, and fifteen of them were ordered in late 1989. Armed with two P-15 Termit launchers, the Končar -class boats were modeled after the Spica class , and there were plans to upgrade them with Swedish-built missiles. Two Kobra missile boats were built by Croatia as the Kralj -class fast attack craft and both are still in service. The navy's fifteen Topčider-class torpedo boats included four former Soviet Shershen class and eleven Yugoslav built units. The Yugoslav navy's mine warfare and countermeasures capabilities were considered adequate in 1990. It operated four Vukov Klanac -class coastal minesweepers built on

5280-616: The Republic Assembly building was broken up by shots that came from the nearby Holiday Inn . By the end of April, the form of the siege was largely established. The Serb-inhabited Sarajevan suburb of Ilidža saw heavy fighting between the local Serb forces on one side and various Bosniak forces on the other. The local Serbs soon formed the Ilidža Brigade, which became a part of the Sarajevo-Romanija Corps of

5400-524: The SDS, who charged that the SDA or the government was complicit in the shooting, as evidenced by their failure to arrest the suspects. An SDS spokesman claimed the wedding attack was evidence of the mortal danger Serbs would be subject to in an independent Bosnia. This statement was rejected by the founder of the Patriotic League , Sefer Halilović , who stated that the procession was not a wedding but

5520-690: The Secretary of Defense was prevented or absent to fulfill his function, was formally his deputy who could take command of the armed forces. In 1987, under decree of the Presidency of Yugoslavia , the General Staff of the JNA was renamed to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia, thus effectively giving command of JNA and the TO to one military body in order to more efficiently command

5640-580: The Serb forces around Sarajevo committed the massacre. In February 1994 (when air strikes were originally threatened), NATO had created a heavy weapons exclusion zone around Sarajevo, and collected weapons at a number of sites. On 5 August, the VRS seized several weapons from the Illidža Weapons Collection site in clear violation of the exclusion zone agreement. During the seizure, Serb forces injured

5760-478: The Serbs handed over the airport to UNPROFOR on 29 June. World public opinion was 'decisively and permanently against the Serbs' following media reports on the sniping and shelling. From 25 to 26 August, under command of Colonel Tomislav Šipčić , the Sarajevo City Hall was burned down by cannon fire from Serb positions. On 30 August 1992, an artillery shell crashed into a crowded marketplace on

5880-557: The Serbs ordered the UN soldiers to hand him over. The rear door was opened, and one of the Serbs fired seven shots at Turajlić from an automatic weapon. Six bullets struck him in the chest and arms, killing him instantly. A Bosnian Serb soldier, Goran Vasić, was eventually charged with Turajlić's murder but was ultimately acquitted of that charge in 2002. On 6 May 1993, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 824 declared that Sarajevo be

6000-768: The US national guard and were subordinate to supreme command as an integral part of the defence system in wartime. The territorial defence (reserve force) was made up of former conscripts; they were occasionally called up for war exercises. In accordance with the 1974 Yugoslav Constitution the Land Forces were divided into six armies allocated to the five republics. The ground forces were organised into infantry, armour , artillery, and air defence, as well as signal, engineering and chemical defence corps. The Yugoslav Air Force had about 32,000 personnel including 4,000 conscripts , and operated over 400 aircraft and 200 helicopters . It

6120-649: The US as well. Switzerland's Max Julen surprisingly took the gold in the Giant Slalom , while the silver went to the Yugoslav favorite Jure Franko . Major investment was done by the Yugoslav authorities in order to accommodate the Winter Olympics. The Babin Dol area was developed for the necessary construction and a long main ski lift was built from Babin Dol up to the Bjelašnica summit. In preparation of

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6240-402: The US, the request was rejected. By the late 1980s, the licensed production of Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma helicopters was also planned, but due to the dissolution of the country, it was not continued. One of the structures operated by the Yugoslav Air Force was the underground Željava Air Base near the town of Bihać in northwest Bosnia and Herzegovina . The structure was made to withstand

6360-485: The United States gave Yugoslavia US $ 600 million in direct military grants and an equal amount in economic aid, enabling Yugoslavia to devote more of its domestic resources to defence. After two visits to the United States by Colonel General Koča Popović and Colonel General Milo Kilibarda in May–June and August 1951, respectively, U.S. weaponry began arriving by late 1951. By 1952 the Armed Forces had grown to 500,000 troops, and defence expenditures consumed 22 percent of

6480-535: The United States. Others were armed with Soviet Kh-23 and Kh-28 missiles. The air force also had about ninety armed Mi-8 helicopter gunships to provide added mobility and fire support for small ground units. A large number of reconnaissance aircraft were available to support ground forces operations. Four squadrons of seventy Galeb, Jastreb, and Orao-1 fighters were configured for reconnaissance missions. The Yugoslav Air Force had nine squadrons of 130 Soviet-made MiG-21 interceptors for air defence. First produced in

6600-399: The VRS. In the months leading up to the war, JNA forces in the region began to mobilize in the hills surrounding Sarajevo. Artillery, together with other ordnance and equipment that would prove key in the coming siege of the city, was deployed at this time. In April 1992, the Bosnian government under Izetbegović demanded that the Yugoslav government remove these forces. Slobodan Milošević ,

6720-413: The Vlahinja ridge, the Strug ridge and a more southern ridge parallel to the Rakitnica and separated from the other ridges by a wide valley called Dugo Polje. A number of hikes exist in these mountains. One trail approaches the Bjelašnica main summit (2,067 m.) from the north and is called Josipova Staza after its most famous hiker: Josip Broz Tito . From the main summit a ridge walk leads north-east towards

6840-438: The Yugoslav Partisans liberated the country from the Axis Powers , that date was officially celebrated as the "Day of the Army" in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFR Yugoslavia). In March 1945, the NOVJ was renamed the "Yugoslav Army" (" Jugoslavenska/Jugoslovenska Armija ") and, on its 10th anniversary, on 22 December 1951, "People's" (" Narodna ") was added. The support the Soviets had within JNA ranks during

6960-399: The Yugoslav People's Army was to protect the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and social organization of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Though the Presidency of Yugoslavia was the supreme commander of the armed forces and in command of Yugoslav People's Army, some duties from the presidency could be given to the Secretary of Defence. The Secretary of Defence

7080-430: The agreement and ambushed the departing JNA convoy , which embittered all sides. A ceasefire and agreement on evacuation of the JNA was signed on 18 May, while on 20 May the Bosnian presidency declared the JNA an occupation force. The JNA attacked the Ministry of Training Academy in Vraca, the central tramway depot, and the Old Town district with mortars , artillery and tank fire. The Bosnian government had expected

7200-421: The air strikes were suspended to allow the implementation of the withdrawal of VRS heavy weapons from the Sarajevo exclusion zone, effectively ending the Siege of Sarajevo. Extensive de-mining activities have taken place around recreational areas and especially around the existing ski runs, which can be considered safe by all means. The largest part of the Bjelašnica range remained largely spared from warfare and

7320-405: The armed forces in case of war, according to the law of "All-people's defense" from 1982. In the mid-1980s, plans were made under a formal top-secret strategic and operational plan named "Jedinstvo" for a structural change from republic armies and divisions to military districts and brigades to allow for easier federal consolidation of the republics' territorial armies, particularly in the case of

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7440-499: The armed forces, there was also the Territorial Defense , based on each republic's territory that formed Yugoslavia that would fall under command of JNA during wartime. The Ground Forces had the greatest number of personnel. In 1991 there were about 140,000 active-duty soldiers (including 90,000 conscripts), and over a million trained reservists that could be mobilized in wartime. Each of the Yugoslav constituent six republics had its own Territorial Defence forces which were similar to

7560-501: The arrest of Izetbegović, who was detained at Sarajevo Airport by Yugoslav police the previous day. The attack started with the convoy being separated when a car was driven into it. Then sporadic and disorganized fighting took place for several minutes in and around the convoy. 6–42 soldiers were killed in the incident. General Milutin Kukanjac , the commander of the JNA in Sarajevo, confirmed that just in Dobrovoljačka street alone four officers, one soldier and one civilian were killed in

7680-428: The attack. General Lewis MacKenzie , the UN peacekeeper in Sarajevo and who was in the convoy described what he saw: "I could see the Territorial Defense soldiers push the rifles through the windows of civilians' cars, which were part of the convoy, and shoot [...] I saw blood flow down the windshields. It was definitely the worst day of my life." In the Documentary The Death of Yugoslavia Lewis MacKenzie described how

7800-420: The besieged city, as a result of the construction of the Sarajevo tunnel . A major VRS offensive started in July 1993 that led to the fall of Trnovo , and on 4 August 1993, Serb forces captured the Bjelašnica summit and part of the Igman supply road. The VRS advance was stopped under threat of NATO airstrikes . After tense negotiations the VRS retreated from the Bjelašnica summit, but not without blowing up

7920-595: The building of smaller but more modernized forces with highly mobile units. Corps closer to the border would have two A. class brigades including an artillery regiment of A. class, an anti-armor regiment of B. class and an engineering battalion of A class. Corps deeper inside country would have one brigade of A. or B. class. Under "Jedinstvo 3" every corps in the Air Force should have one support aviation brigade, one fighter wing, one Air Surveillance, Early Warning and Guidance regiment, 1–2 rocket brigades or regiments and rest up to possibilities to equip. Under "Jedinstvo 2",

8040-828: The central-western part of the mountain range. There are other mountain huts at Sitnik, Umoljani and Lukomir that might require prior reservation. [REDACTED] Media related to Bjelašnica at Wikimedia Commons Siege of Sarajevo Military stalemate [REDACTED] Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina [REDACTED] Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia [REDACTED] United Nations [REDACTED]   SFR Yugoslavia (April–May 1992) [REDACTED]   Republika Srpska (May 1992–96) [REDACTED] France [REDACTED] Italy [REDACTED] Ireland [REDACTED] Ukraine [REDACTED] Sweden [REDACTED] Denmark 1993 1994 1995 The siege of Sarajevo ( Serbo-Croatian : Opsada Sarajeva )

8160-421: The city. After numerous JNA armored columns failed to take the city, the Serbs began to concentrate their efforts on weakening it by using continual bombardment from at least 200 reinforced positions and bunkers in the surrounding hills. On 3 May 1992, members of the ARBiH attacked a convoy of withdrawing JNA soldiers on Dobrovoljačka Street in Sarajevo. The attack is thought to have been in retaliation for

8280-743: The civilian workforce, including civil service. Equipment purchase was not realized in full. The JNA's organization and structure after "Jedinstvo 1" consisted of the Ground Forces , Air Force and Navy . Under reforms through the "Jedinstvo" plan it was planned to reorganize the army's structure into four major army areas called "Vojna Oblast" under command of the Federal Secretariat of People's Defence (SSNO) – "Vojna oblast" or military regions were further divided into corps, brigades, garrisons and smaller districts and sectors that were responsible for administrative tasks such as draft registration , mobilization , and construction and maintenance of military facilities. The regions were: Directly under SSNO were

8400-434: The commandant of the Bosnian police academy arrested the previous day with the takeover of the academy. Bosnia and Herzegovina received international recognition on 6 April 1992. The most common view is that the war started that day. On 6 April, Serb forces began shelling Sarajevo, and in the next two days crossed the Drina from Serbia proper and besieged Bosniak-majority Zvornik , Višegrad and Foča . All of Bosnia

8520-453: The communications tower first. French United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) units were stationed on Bjelašnica, and the Igman area was declared a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) by the UN. The situation around the frontlines in nearby Treskavica and around Babin Dol, remained explosive with violent exchanges of hostilities between VRS and ARBiH units. The villages on the southern slopes of Bjelašnica, like Umoljani and Lukavac were not in

8640-465: The constitution were amended to address those changes. The Ground Forces "converted ten of twelve infantry divisions into twenty-nine tank , mechanized and mountain infantry brigades with integral artillery , air defense and anti-tank regiments under corps structure. One airborne brigade was organized before 1990. The shift to brigade-level organization provided greater operational flexibility, maneuverability, and tactical initiative and reduced

8760-470: The constitution, which says that, "Regarding the composition of staff and the employment in the high command and leadership functions in the Yugoslav People's Army the principle is applied of as proportional representation as possible of republics and autonomous provinces". Serbs, Montenegrins, and Yugoslavs were by some opinions over-represented in the officer corps, but that was still in accordance with cited constitution. JNA's high-ranking positions in 1980

8880-437: The convoy split in half: "I believe a red Volkswagen took off and driven across the intersection and blocked and split the convoy in two." General Jovan Divijak , a commander for the ARBiH in Sarajevo, tried to stop the shooting and calm things down. Shellings of Sarajevo on 24, 26, 28 and 29 May were attributed to Mladić by Boutros-Ghali . Civilian casualties of a 27 May shelling of the city led to Western intervention, in

9000-871: The crime rate skyrocketed. During the first year of the siege, the 10th Mountain Division of the ARBiH, led by a rogue commander, Mušan Topalović , engaged in a campaign of mass executions of Serb civilians who still lived within the Bosniak-held areas. Many of the victims were transported to the Kazani pit near Sarajevo, where they were executed and buried in a mass grave. Yugoslav People%27s Army The Yugoslav People's Army ( JNA / ЈНА ; Macedonian , Montenegrin and Serbian : Југословенска народна армија , Jugoslovenska narodna armija ; Croatian and Bosnian : Jugoslavenska narodna armija ; Slovene : Jugoslovanska ljudska armada , JLA ), also called

9120-412: The day the JNA was founded. Prestigious awards were given on that day: they were called dvadesetdrugi decembar . Rewards were given to anyone who had contributed to the defence of Yugoslavia in some way including military, scientific, economic or another contribution. Winners of such awards were highly praised in media and among the populace. Every ten years, special medals were awarded on 22 December. It

9240-481: The downhill (winner: Gerhard Pfaffenbichler , before Steve Podborski and Franz Klammer ) that was done. In 1987 contests were done in Men's Slalom (winner: Grega Benedik ) and Giant Slalom, Men's (winner: Marc Girardelli ) and Women's (tied victory: Maria Walliser and Vreni Schneider ) Other FIS events have taken place and are still taking place at Bjelašnica. The strategic value of Bjelašnica summit, overlooking

9360-462: The end of 1995 was about 222.151 in peace and 834.891 in war. Internal changes in Yugoslavia prevented the total realization of the "Jedinstvo 3" plan. While many changes under it were done during 1990, not all were finished completely. While most commands and units were formed and manned, equipping was not finished according to plan because of dissolution of Yugoslavia and stopping of deliveries from most of domestic factories to units of JNA. As part of

9480-597: The end of the tri-ethnic coalition that had governed after the 1990 elections. This Assembly established the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 9 January 1992, which became the Republika Srpska in August 1992. The declaration of Bosnian sovereignty was followed by a referendum for independence on 29 February and 1 March 1992, which was boycotted by the vast majority of Serbs. The turnout in

9600-489: The first half of 1993 were the height of the siege of Sarajevo, and atrocities were committed during heavy fighting. Serb forces outside the city continuously shelled the government defenders. Inside the city, the Serbs controlled most of the major military positions and the supply of arms. With snipers taking up positions in the city, signs reading Pazite, Snajper! ("Beware, Sniper!") became commonplace and certain particularly dangerous streets, most notably Ulica Zmaja od Bosne,

9720-406: The form of sanctions imposed on 30 May through United Nations Security Council Resolution 757 . That same day Bosnian forces attacked the JNA barracks in the city, which was followed by heavy shelling. On 5 and 6 June the last JNA personnel left the city during heavy street fighting and shelling. The 20 June cease-fire, executed to allow the UN takeover of Sarajevo Airport for humanitarian flights,

9840-492: The former Yugoslavia (ICTY) convicted four Serb officials for numerous counts of crimes against humanity which they committed during the siege, including terrorism . Stanislav Galić and Dragomir Milošević were sentenced to life imprisonment and 29 years imprisonment respectively. Their superiors, Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić , were also convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. From its establishment after World War II until its breakup in 1991 and 1992,

9960-653: The former Yugoslavia: Batajnica Air Base ( Belgrade ), Niš Constantine the Great Airport , Slatina Air Base ( Priština ), Golubovci Airbase ( Titograd ), Skopski Petrovec , Sarajevo , Mostar , Željava Air Base (Bihać), Pleso ( Zagreb ), Split Airport , Pula , Zemunik ( Zadar ), Cerklje ob Krki and many other smaller air bases. Minor surface combatants operated by the Yugoslav Navy included nearly eighty frigates , corvettes , submarines , minesweepers , and missile, torpedo, and patrol boats in

10080-474: The frontline, but sustained heavy damage from shelling. Discussion about real or alleged use by ARBiH forces of the Igman DMZ was an issue of constant contention, between UNPROFOR Commander General Michael Rose , ARBiH General Rasim Delić , and VRS Commander Ratko Mladić . By mid-1995, the military situation became very tense again, and in August 1995 the VRS launched another offensive, forcing UNPROFOR from

10200-443: The government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia suppressed the nationalist sentiments which existed among the many ethnic and religious groups which comprised the population of the country, a policy which prevented the occurrence of chaos and the breakup of the state. When Yugoslavia's longtime leader Marshal Josip Broz Tito died in 1980, this policy of containment underwent a dramatic reversal. Nationalism experienced

10320-720: The international community to deploy a peacekeeping force following recognition, but it did not materialize in time to prevent war from breaking out across the country. Bosnian Serb and JNA troops overwhelmed the poorly equipped and unprepared Bosnian security forces to take control of large areas of Bosnian territory, beginning with attacks on Bosniak civilians in the east. Serb military, police and paramilitary forces attacked towns and villages and then, sometimes assisted by local Serb residents, applied what soon became their standard operating procedure: Bosniak houses and apartments were systematically ransacked or burned; civilians were rounded up, some beaten or killed; and men were separated from

10440-819: The late 1940s, but most of them were soon obsolete. The navy was upgraded in the 1960s when it acquired ten Osa-I -class missile boats and four Shershen-class torpedo boats from the Soviet Union. The Soviets granted a license to build eleven additional Shershen units in Yugoslav shipyards developed for this purpose. In 1980 and 1982, the Yugoslav navy took the delivery of two Soviet Koni-class frigates . In 1988 it completed two additional units under license. The Koni frigates were armed with four Soviet P-15 Termit surface-to-surface missile launchers, twin 9K33 Osa (NATO reporting name: SA-8 "Gecko") surface-to-air missiles, and anti-submarine rocket launchers. The Yugoslav navy developed its own submarine-building capability during

10560-565: The late 1950s, the MiG-21 design was largely obsolete in 1990 and represented a potential weakness in Yugoslavia's air defence. However, the bulk of the MiG-21 fleet consisted mainly of the bis variant, the latest production MiG-21 model, and was armed with the Soviet Vympel K-13 ( NATO reporting name : AA-2 "Atoll") missile, air-to-air missiles and some Molniya R-60 (NATO reporting name: AA-8 "Aphid") missiles as well as twin 23 mm cannons. By 1989, Yugoslavia started developing

10680-538: The late 1980s. They were built for use by underwater demolition teams and special forces. The Una-class boats carried five crewmen, eight combat swimmers, four Mala vehicles, and limpet mines . The Mala vehicles carried two swimmers and 250 kilograms (550 lb) of mines. The Yugoslav navy operated ten Osa-class missile boats and six Končar -class missile boats. The Osa I boats were armed with four P-15 Termit surface-to-surface missile launchers. In 1990, ten domestic Kobra missile boats were scheduled to begin replacing

10800-436: The main street which eventually leads to the airport, were known as " sniper alleys ". The sniper killings of Admira Ismić and Boško Brkić, a mixed Bosnian-Serbian couple who tried to cross the lines, became a symbol of the suffering in the city and the basis of Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo , but it is unknown from which side the snipers opened fire. Within Bosniak-held areas of Sarajevo, public services quickly collapsed and

10920-503: The mine risk is therefore minimal within the area west of the Bjelašnica summit and east of the Hranisava mountain. The Bjelašnica Olympic Mountain Ski Centre and its facilities are all located on the eastern slope of Bjelašnica main summit. There are 6 lifts, with one modern three-seat carrier lift departing from Babin Dol, three anchor lifts and two remaining single saucer lifts. Next to the original 3100 meter Olympic Downhill run and

11040-427: The observatory was destroyed in 1993. The remains of the broken tower were removed in 2006. During the 1984 Winter Olympics , Bjelašnica hosted the men's alpine skiing events, where brash Bill Johnson ( USA ) won the downhill after boldly predicting victory, overtaking Swiss ski legend Peter Müller who took silver. The American twins Phil and Steve Mahre took gold and silver in the slalom at Bjelašnica for

11160-500: The perpetrator was the VRS. UNPROFOR launched its humanitarian airlift operations, providing Sarajevo with much-needed supplies from mid-1992 to the beginning of 1995. More than 13,000 flights were made over the course of more than three years. It was the most airlifts to a capital city since the Berlin airlifts . While capitalizing on the fact that the airport was under the control of UNPROFOR, defenders of Sarajevo began digging

11280-782: The possibility that large army units would be destroyed in set piece engagements with an aggressor. The change created many senior field command positions that would develop relatively young and talented officers." In 1989, five independent divisions under general staff command and 25 partisan (reserve) divisions under corps command were formed including many other battalions, regiments and batteries under different commands. The 1989 plan "Jedinstvo 2" commenced and border battalions were transferred under corps command including some divisions that have remained before under others commands. Brigades got some artillery and antiaircraft batteries under their direct command that helped them to gain independence in wartime from higher levels. Defense of all major cities

11400-403: The president of Serbia, agreed only to withdraw individuals who originated from outside Bosnia's borders, an insignificant number. JNA soldiers who were ethnic Serbs from Bosnia were transferred to the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) under the command of General Ratko Mladić , with the VRS having rescinded its allegiance to Bosnia a few days after Bosnia seceded from Yugoslavia. On 5 April 1992,

11520-652: The same state. Alarmed, the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia on 15 October 1991, shortly followed by the establishment of the Serbian National Assembly by Bosnian Serbs. The Serb members of parliament, consisting mainly of Serb Democratic Party (SDP) members, abandoned the central parliament in Sarajevo, and formed the Assembly of the Serb People of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 24 October 1991, which marked

11640-548: The south, the 14 Division/1st managed to push the Serbs back to Route Viper and captured the most land from the offensive. On 28 August 1995 at around 11:00 ( Central European Time ), five shells were fired onto the Markale Market, causing the 2nd Markale massacre. Casualties were fewer however, 43 died and 73 were wounded. But just several hours prior to the attack, Bosnian Serb authorities tentatively expressed their will to accept Richard Holbrooke 's peace plan. Again

11760-589: The summit in 1878, creating the first meteorological station in the whole area of the Balkans . This structure was replaced in 1894 by a more advanced meteorological observatory with an all-year around manning. The observatory is still there, has been repaired of the damage sustained during the last war , and still functions as an important chain-link in the meteorological survey of the Balkans. The communications centre with its landmark tower that used to stand next to

11880-466: The summit of Krvavac (2,061 m.). One of the hikes leads parallel to the Rakitnica Canyon, departing from Umoljani and ending at Lukomir , known to be the last all-year-through inhabited semi-nomadic settlement at this altitude in the Balkans. There is quite a number of well equipped mountain huts to be found within this mountain group. Stanari P.D. (1,540 m.) is an excellent base for hikes in

12000-421: The summit of Mala Vlahinja (2,055 m.). The last summit of this ridge in the west is called Hranisava (1,964 m.) and can be better ascended to by a trail starting in the hamlet of Lokve, between Hadžići and Pazarić. This offers a hike towards a view from this most western summit of the Bjelašnica range. Another hike departs from Dugo Polje and leads via a difficultly retrieved trail through thick shrubs of Pinus Mugo

12120-510: The surrounding hills. From there they assaulted the city with artillery, tanks, and small arms. From 2 May 1992, the Serbs blockaded the city. At least 500,000 bombs were dropped on the city. Units of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) inside the city, who numbered around 70,000 troops, without heavy weapons or armor, defended much of the urban area of the city throughout

12240-600: The total compared to Serbia, which had 30,843 capacity for educating military personnel that constituted about 40.62% of total capacity and rest was among other republics. Representation of the main nations and nationalities of Yugoslavia in the general population and the armed forces: Ethnic distribution among higher ranks of the JNA: 22 December was established as the Day of the JNA . On that day all units and organizations within JNA including other Yugoslavia states bodies celebrated

12360-467: The town of Bosanski Brod . Eleven Serbs were killed in the village of Sijekovac outside of Brod on 26 March, and the SDS claimed they were massacred by a Croat-Bosniak militia. The town was besieged and shelled by the JNA and Serbian paramilitaries on 29 March. There were further clashes in Bijeljina , which was attacked by a Serb force led by Serb Volunteer Guard . On 4 April, as the information of

12480-412: The war but were unable to break the siege. The siege was lifted following the signing of the Dayton Agreement on 14 December 1995. A total of 13,952 people were killed during the siege, including 5,434 civilians. The ARBiH sustained 6,137 fatalities, while Bosnian Serb military casualties numbered 2,241 killed soldiers. The 1991 census indicates that before the siege, the city and its surrounding areas had

12600-477: The western edge of Sarajevo. The resulting explosion killed 15 people and wounded 100 others. On 8 January 1993, Hakija Turajlić , the Deputy Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was assassinated by a Bosnian Serb soldier. Turajlić, who had gone to Sarajevo Airport to greet a Turkish delegation, was returning to the city in a United Nations armored vehicle that had taken him there when

12720-400: The women. Many of the men were forcibly removed to prison camps . The women were incarcerated in detention centres in extremely unhygienic conditions and suffered numerous severe abuses. Many were repeatedly raped . Survivors testified that Serb soldiers and police would visit the detention centres, select one or more women, take them out and rape them. On 22 April, a peace rally in front of

12840-603: The year and short, cool summers. During winter, snowfall is extremely heavy and very constant, falling on most winter days. Bjelašnica summit is easily recognized from the distance by the structures that have been erected on top of it. After the Austro-Hungarian Empire occupied Bosnia following the Congress of Berlin in 1878 the Austrians installed almost immediately the first meteorological station on

12960-479: Was a prolonged blockade of Sarajevo , the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina , during the Bosnian War . After it was initially besieged by the forces of the Yugoslav People's Army , the city was then besieged by the Army of Republika Srpska . Lasting from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 (1,425 days), it was three times longer than the Battle of Stalingrad , more than a year longer than the siege of Leningrad , and

13080-508: Was actually intended for Yugoslav aircraft. In 1987, Yugoslavia acquired 16 MiG-29s . Although not officially known at the time, Yugoslavia was rumoured to have been interested in the purchase of Su-25 attack-aircraft and Mi-24 gunships. Instead of developing its own fighter plane, the Novi Avion , the country made a request to licence-build the F-20 , but due to unstable relations with

13200-480: Was based at Split on the Adriatic coast. It employed Soviet Ka-25 , Ka-28 , and Mi-14 helicopters, and domestic Partisan helicopters. Some air force fighter and reconnaissance squadrons supported naval operations. The Yugoslav Constitution of 1974 principally tried to have the most proportional representation of Yugoslavia's republics and autonomous provinces in the high army ranks. It is defined in article 242 of

13320-539: Was broken as both sides battled for control of the territory between the city and airport. The airport crisis led to Boutros-Ghali's ultimatum on 26 June, that the Serbs stop attacks on the city, allow the UN to take control of the airport, and place their heavy weapons under UN supervision. Meanwhile, media reported that President George H. W. Bush considered the use of force in Bosnia. French President Francois Mitterrand visited Sarajevo on 28–29 June. Undramatically,

13440-751: Was dominated by ethnic Serbs, including the chief of the armed forces, minister of defense and secretary of the LCY in the JNA. Nobody was preventing anyone in Yugoslavia to become JNA officer in accordance to the law "Zakon o vojnim školama i naučnoistraživačkim ustanovama Jugoslovenske narodne armije" that had no exclusions clause. Proportional presentations was to be between republics and autonomous provinces according to cited part of constitution and not between nations. Military schools in Yugoslavia in accordance with law about military schools were built in all Yugoslavia Republics. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, military schools possessed 38,391 annual capacity or 50.54% of

13560-554: Was engulfed in war by mid-April. There were some efforts to halt violence. On 27 April, the Bosnian government ordered the JNA to be put under civilian control or expelled, which was followed by a series of conflicts in early May between the two. On 2 May, the Green Berets and local gang members fought back a disorganized Serb attack aimed at cutting Sarajevo in two. On 3 May, Izetbegović was kidnapped at Sarajevo Airport by JNA officers, and used to gain safe passage of JNA troops from downtown Sarajevo. However, Bosniak forces dishonoured

13680-439: Was in fact intended as a provocation. On 2 March, Serb paramilitaries set up barricades and positioned snipers near Sarajevo's parliament building , but their coup d'état was thwarted by thousands of Sarajevo citizens who took to the streets and placed themselves in front of the snipers. Armed Bosniaks known as " Green Berets " also erected barricades in and around Sarajevo. More barricades appeared near Banja Luka , and

13800-426: Was last promoted by the JNA general, the winner of the 22 December reward and JNA silver star medal. Major general Ener Taso died on 12 December 2018. The arms industry was dominant in the Yugoslav economy. With annual exports of $ 3 billion, it was twice as large as the second largest industry, tourism. Several companies in Yugoslavia produced airplanes and combat aircraft, most notably SOKO of Mostar , with

13920-526: Was previously planned with separate units but under "Jedinstvo 2" only Belgrade and Zagreb retained separated units for defense of their cities. There were usually three classes of brigades, regiments and battalions: A. class brigades and battalions were more than 60 to up to 100% manned, and B. class units had 15–60% manpower. R. class units were reserved with about 15–20% and was manned mostly in their logistic units and commands. Battalions with A. class status were 100% manned and equipped. A. class brigades had

14040-814: Was responsible for transport, reconnaissance and rotary-wing aircraft as well as the national air defence system. The primary air force missions were to contest enemy efforts to establish air supremacy over Yugoslavia and to support the defensive operations of the ground forces and navy. Most aircraft were produced in Yugoslavia. Missiles were produced domestically and supplied by the Soviet Union. The Yugoslav Air Force had twelve squadrons of domestically produced ground attack fighters. The ground attack squadrons provided close air support to ground force operations. They were equipped with 165 new Soko J-22 Orao , Super Galeb and J-21 Jastreb , and older Soko J-20 Kraguj fighters. Many ground attack fighters were armed with AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles purchased from

14160-593: Was the Željava Air Base , also known as the Bihać Underground Integrated Radar Control and Surveillance Centre and Air Base, in Bosnia and Herzegovina . The oath of the JNA was: I (name and surname) solemnly undertake to faithfully serve my people, defend my homeland, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, preserve the brotherhood and unity of our peoples and the honor of the JNA, and conscientiously carry out

14280-476: Was the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare . When Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia after the 1992 Bosnian independence referendum , the Bosnian Serbs —whose strategic goal was to create a new Bosnian Serb state of Republika Srpska (RS) that would include Bosniak -majority areas —encircled Sarajevo with a siege force of 13,000 stationed in

14400-406: Was the officer with the highest military rank that could command the armed forces, including the Yugoslav People's Army and Territorial Defense . The President of Yugoslavia had the power to promote members of the military to the highest military ranks such as general or admiral, and to relieve duty of the highest military officers. The Chief of Staff of the Yugoslav People's Army, in the case that

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