On the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm, the Russian Embassy in Serbia called the operation 'the most tragic page in the recent history of the Balkans,' criticized NATO and the EU, and linked it to the war in Ukraine.
On August 4, 2026, the Russian Embassy in Serbia issued a statement on Twitter marking the 31st anniversary of the military-police operation Storm, which constitutes a direct attack on the fundamental values of modern Croatia and its struggle for independence. The post describes the operation, carried out from August 4 to 7, 1995, as "one of the most tragic pages in the recent history of the Balkans," with claims of mass persecution of the Serbian population and impunity for those responsible.
This narrative is entirely in line with the long-standing position of official Belgrade, but the Russian Embassy went a step further, accusing NATO and the European Union of bloodshed in the former Yugoslavia. "Special responsibility for the bloodshed in the former Yugoslavia lies with the NATO member states and the European Union, whose interference contributed to the disintegration of the country and the escalation of interethnic conflicts," the statement reads, as reported by Dnevno.hr.
The Russian side claims in its post that the pinnacle of Western policy was the "illegal aggression of the North Atlantic Alliance against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999," which was carried out without a decision from the United Nations Security Council. They add that this intervention resulted in "numerous casualties, extensive destruction, and long-term humanitarian consequences."
The Embassy accuses the West of double standards in interpreting historical events: "The suffering of the Serbian people is typically silenced or relativized, while similar events in other regions receive a completely different political and informational interpretation," the statement says. The text does not mention that Operation Storm was carried out after nearly four years of occupation of a third of Croatian territory, with persecution and killings of civilians and failed international attempts at a peaceful solution.
The Russian Embassy directly linked the experience of the Republic of Serbian Krajina to the ongoing war in Ukraine, claiming that "encouraging nationalist radicalism" led to catastrophic consequences. The statement notes that the Russian side has repeatedly warned that since 2014, a similar threat has loomed over the Russian population of Donbas and Novorossiya, and that its removal is considered "the most important prerequisite for a lasting solution to the Ukrainian crisis."
In the post, Moscow also emphasized that it "consistently advocates for the preservation of historical truth," adding: "We are convinced that without an honest assessment of the tragedy of the Serbian people during Operation Storm, true reconciliation and stability in the Balkans cannot be achieved."
While such assessments are being promoted from Belgrade and Moscow, Croatia on August 7, 2026, marks Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Croatian Veterans Day, and the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm. Approximately 200,000 members of the Croatian armed forces and police participated in the operation. During the action, 243 Croatian defenders lost their lives, 1,430 were wounded, and two defenders remain officially missing to this day.
In Croatia, Operation Storm is considered one of the most important victories in the Homeland War, crucial for liberating occupied state territory and creating the conditions for the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube region.
