The political confrontation between such superpowers as the USA and the USSR, which lasted from the mid-40s to the early 90s of the last century, and never developed into a real military conflict, led to the emergence of such a term as the Cold War. Yugoslavia is a former socialist multinational country that began to disintegrate almost simultaneously with the Soviet Union. The main reason that served as an impetus for the beginning of the military conflict was the desire of the West to establish its influence in those territories that previously belonged to the USSR.
The war in Yugoslavia consisted of a whole series of armed conflicts that lasted for 10 years - from 1991 to 2001, and eventually led the state to disintegration, as a result of which several independent states were formed. Here the hostilities were interethnic in nature, where Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Macedonia participated. The war in Yugoslavia began because of ethnic and religious considerations. These events, which took place inEurope, have become the bloodiest since 1939-1945.
Slovenia
The war in Yugoslavia began with an armed conflict on June 25 - July 4, 1991. The course of events originates from the unilaterally proclaimed independence of Slovenia, as a result of which hostilities broke out between it and Yugoslavia. The leadership of the republic took control of all the borders, as well as the airspace over the country. Local military units began to prepare to capture the JNA barracks.
The Yugoslav People's Army met fierce resistance from local troops. Barricades were hastily erected and the paths followed by the JNA units were blocked. Mobilization was announced in the republic, and its leaders turned to some European countries for help.
The war ended as a result of the signing of the Brioni Agreement, which obliged the JNA to end the armed conflict, and Slovenia had to suspend the signing of a declaration of independence for three months. Losses from the Yugoslav army amounted to 45 people killed and 146 wounded, and from the Slovenian, respectively, 19 and 182.
Soon the management of the SFRY was forced to admit defeat and come to terms with an independent Slovenia. In conclusion, the JNA withdrew troops from the territory of the newly formed state.
Croatia
After Slovenia gained independence from Yugoslavia, the Serbian part of the population living in this territory tried to create a separate country. They motivated their desiredisconnected by the fact that human rights were allegedly constantly violated here. To do this, the separatists began to create the so-called self-defense units. Croatia regarded this as an attempt to join Serbia and accused its opponents of expansion, as a result of which large-scale hostilities began in August 1991.
Over 40% of the country's territory was engulfed in war. The Croats pursued the goal of freeing themselves from the Serbs and expelling the JNA. Volunteers, wishing to gain the long-awaited freedom, united in detachments of guards and did their best to achieve independence for themselves and their families.
Bosnian War
1991-1992 marked the beginning of the path of liberation from the crisis of Bosnia and Herzegovina, into which Yugoslavia dragged it. This time the war affected not only one republic, but also neighboring lands. As a result, this conflict has attracted the attention of NATO, the EU and the UN.
This time the hostilities took place between Bosnian Muslims and their co-religionists who are fighting for autonomy, as well as Croats and armed groups of Serbs. At the beginning of the uprising, the JNA was also involved in the conflict. A little later, NATO forces joined, mercenaries and volunteers from different sides.
In February 1992, a proposal was put forward to divide this republic into 7 parts, two of which were to go to the Croats and Muslims, and three to the Serbs. This agreement was not approved by the head of the Bosnian forces, Alija Izetbegovic. Croatian and Serbian nationalists said it was the only chance to stopconflict, after which the Civil War in Yugoslavia continued, attracting the attention of almost all international organizations.
The Armed Forces of the Bosnians united with the Muslims, thanks to which the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was created. In May 1992, the ARBiH became the official armed forces of the future independent state. Gradually, hostilities ceased due to the signing of the Dayton Agreement, which predetermined the constitutional structure of a modern independent Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Operation Deliberate Force
This was the code name for the aerial bombardment of Serb positions in the military conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was carried out by NATO. The reason for the start of this operation was the explosion in 1995 on the territory of the Markale market. It was not possible to identify the perpetrators of terrorism, but NATO blamed the Serbs for what happened, who categorically refused to withdraw their weapons from Sarajevo.
Thus, the history of the war in Yugoslavia continued with Operation Deliberate Force on the night of August 30, 1995. Its purpose was to reduce the possibility of a Serbian assault on the safe zones that NATO had established. Aviation of Great Britain, the USA, Germany, France, Spain, Turkey and the Netherlands began to strike at the positions of the Serbs.
Within two weeks, more than three thousand sorties of NATO aircraft were made. The result of the bombing was the destruction of radar installations, warehouses with ammunition and weapons, bridges, telecommunicationscommunications and other vital infrastructure facilities. And, of course, the main goal was achieved: the Serbs left the city of Sarajevo along with heavy equipment.
Kosovo
The war in Yugoslavia continued with the armed conflict that broke out between the FRY and Albanian separatists in 1998. The people of Kosovo sought to gain independence. A year later, NATO intervened in the situation, as a result of which an operation called "Allied Force" began.
This conflict was systematically accompanied by human rights violations, which led to numerous casu alties and a massive flow of migrants - a few months after the start of the war, there were about 1 thousand killed and wounded, as well as more than 2 thousand refugees. The result of the war was a UN resolution in 1999, according to which the prevention of a resumption of fire and the return of Kosovo to Yugoslav rule were guaranteed. The Security Council ensured public order, supervision of demining, demilitarization of the KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) and Albanian armed groups.
Operation Allied Force
The second wave of the NATO invasion of the FRY took place from March 24 to June 10, 1999. The operation took place during the ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Later, the International Tribunal confirmed the responsibility of the security services of the FRY for the crimes committed against the Albanian population. In particular, during the first operation "Deliberate Force".
Yugoslav authoritieswitnessed 1.7 thousand dead citizens, 400 of whom were children. About 10 thousand people were seriously injured, and 821 were missing. The signing of the Military-Technical Agreement between the JNA and the North Atlantic Alliance put an end to the bombing. NATO forces and the international administration took control of the region. A little later, these powers were transferred to ethnic Albanians.
South Serbia
The conflict between an illegal armed group called the "Liberation Army of Medveji, Presev and Buyanovac" and FR Yugoslavia. The peak of activity in Serbia coincided with the aggravation of the situation in Macedonia.
The wars in the former Yugoslavia almost stopped after some agreements were reached between NATO and Belgrade in 2001, which guaranteed the return of Yugoslav troops to the ground security zone. In addition, agreements were signed on the formation of police forces, as well as on amnesty for militants who decided to voluntarily surrender.
The confrontation in the Presevo Valley claimed the lives of 68 people, 14 of whom were policemen. Albanian terrorists carried out 313 attacks, killing 14 people (9 of them were saved, and the fate of four remains unknown to this day).
Macedonia
The cause of the conflict in this republic is no different from previous clashes in Yugoslavia. The confrontation took place between the Albanian separatists and the Macedonians for almost the entire2001
The situation began to escalate in January, when the republic's government witnessed frequent cases of aggression against the military and police. Since the Macedonian security service did not take any action, the population threatened to purchase weapons on their own. After that, from January to November 2001, constant clashes between Albanian groups and Macedonians took place. The bloodiest events took place on the territory of the city of Tetovo.
As a result of the conflict, there were 70 Macedonian casu alties and about 800 Albanian separatists. The war in Yugoslavia, the chronicle of which officially ends in November 2001, actually continues to this day. Now it has the character of all kinds of strikes and armed clashes in the former republics of the FRY.
Results of the war
In the post-war period, the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia was established. This document restored justice to the victims of conflicts in all republics (except Slovenia). Specific individuals, not groups, who were directly involved in crimes against humanity were found and punished.
During 1991-2001 about 300 thousand bombs were dropped throughout the territory of the former Yugoslavia and about 1 thousand rockets were fired. NATO played an important role in the struggle of individual republics for their independence.timely intervened in the arbitrariness of the Yugoslav authorities. The war in Yugoslavia, the years and events of which claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, should serve as a lesson for society, since even in our modern life it is necessary not only to appreciate, but also to maintain such a fragile world peace with all our might.
