Russia is attempting to destabilise a country which could lead to a civil war in Europe, as it seeks to further undermine security and peace in the West, it’s been claimed.
Europe was rocked by a vicious and bloody war between the former republics of Yugoslavia during the 1990s.
Fierce and merciless fighting raged from April 1992 through to November 1995 when the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) was signed by the warring parties.
It is estimated that more than 100,000 people were killed and two million people, over half the region’s population, were forced to flee their homes as a result of the fighting.
The civil war threatened to undermine years of peace and stability in Europe and sent shockwaves through the political establishment.
As part of the DPA, a Serbian state known as Republika Srpska was given official status within Bosnia Herzegovina.
Last week on Thursday as Western allies marked D-Day at commemorative events in France, Republika Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik met Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg.
The two political leaders were ostensibly attending the annual International Economic Forum.
After the meeting, Dodik declared that his republic intended to hold a referendum on independence from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If the plebiscite goes ahead, it could jeopardise the peace deal and see the Balkans once again plunged into civil war.
Dodik told Russian state media outlet Tass: “There is a decision to cede, but a specific day has not yet been set.
“A lot of research has to be done, the analysis has to be completed.
“We would like to do it now, but there are two other parties involved in this issue. Of course, it takes time.”
He claimed that he did not want to create instability but insisted the Dayton peace deal had to be “terminated”.
Western analysts say Moscow is seeking to leverage ongoing instability in the Balkans to maintain its influence and weaken the EU and NATO.
Researchers from the Institute For the Study of War wrote in their Friday bulletin: “The Kremlin continues efforts to destabilise the Balkans and dismantle the 1995 Dayton Accords that ended the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, likely as part of a larger strategic effort that seeks to divide and distract Europe.”
More than two decades after the Yugoslav wars, the political arrangements created to balance the claims of myriad ethnic and religious communities are becoming increasingly precarious.
While much of the region seeks deeper integration with the EU and NATO, Moscow is trying to exploit simmering tensions to block those efforts.
