Republic of Serbian Krajina

The Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK) (Serbo-Croatian: Republika Srpska Krajina, RSK; Република Српска Крајина, РСК, ; sometimes translated as Republic of Serb Krajina) was a self-proclaimed Serb entity within Croatia. Established in 1991, it was not recognized internationally. It formally existed from 1991 to 1995, having been initiated a year earlier via smaller separatist regions. The name Krajina means "frontier". Its separatist government engaged in a war for ethnic Serb independence from the Republic of Croatia, within and out of Yugoslavia, once Croatian borders had been recognized by foreign states in August 1991 and February 1992.

Milan Babić, former President of Serbian Krajina, testified to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) that Krajina was provided weapons by Slobodan Milošević's government in Serbia, and that Krajina was economically and financially dependent upon Serbia. Babic testified that Milošević held de facto control over both the Army of Serbian Krajina and the Yugoslav People's Army during its actions in Krajina via an alternate chain of command through the Serbian police.

The government of Krajina had de facto control over central parts of the territory while control of the outskirts changed with success and failures of the military activities. In 1992, the Serb Krajina government signed a demilitarisation agreement and removed all of the heavy artillery that were brought in by Yugoslav People's Army at the start of the conflict, in exchange the area became a United Nations Protected demilitarised zone. The territory was legally protected by the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) and the Army of Serbian Krajina that frequently attacked neighbouring Bihać enclave (then in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina) with heavy artillery.

Its main portion was overrun by Croatian forces in 1995; a rump remained in eastern Slavonia under UNTAES administration until its peaceful reintegration into Croatia in 1998.

Read more about Republic Of Serbian Krajina:  Etymology, Creation, 1992 Ceasefire, After The Ceasefire, Decline, Operation Storm, Later Events, Demographics, Legal Status, Government in Exile

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