Skandiranje ratko mladic biography

1. Early Life and Military Beginnings
2. Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) Career
3. Kninska Krajina and Appointment in Bosnia
4. Bosnian War and Srebrenica Massacre
5. Indictment and Hiding
6. Unending Pursuit
7. Legacy and Impact

Early Life and Military Beginnings

Ratko Mladić was born on March 12, 1943, in the village of Božinovići, Bosnia and Herzegovina. His father was killed by Croatian Ustasha forces during World War II when Mladić was two years old. Inspired by his father's military service, Mladić enrolled in the Military-Industrial School at the age of fifteen. He later graduated from the Military Academy in Belgrade with honors.

Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) Career

In 1965, Mladić joined the JNA as a second lieutenant. He rose through the ranks from platoon commander to assistant corps commander. Most of his service was in Macedonia, where he rose to become head of the training department of the Third Military District in Skopje. In 1991, he was appointed assistant commander of the Pristina Corps in Kosovo.

Kninska Krajina and Appointment in Bosnia

With the disintegration of Yugoslavia, Mladić was transferred to the Ninth JNA Corps in Knin, Croatia, in June 1991. Knin was the center of the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina, which was the site of fierce fighting between Serbs and Croats. Mladić's leadership in this conflict earned him the rank of major general in the JNA. In April 1992, he was promoted to lieutenant general.

In May 1992, Mladić became commander of the JNA's Second District in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following the declaration of independence by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnian Serbs established their own republic, Republika Srpska, and Mladić was appointed Chief of Staff of their army.

Bosnian War and Srebrenica Massacre

Under Mladić's command, Bosnian Serb forces laid siege to Sarajevo and engaged in a brutal campaign against Muslim and Croatian civilians. By December 1992, they controlled 70% of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In June 1994, Mladić was promoted to colonel general.

In July 1995, Bosnian Serb troops under Mladić's command captured the city of Srebrenica, which was housing thousands of Muslim refugees. The Muslim women and children were deported, while the men and boys were detained and interrogated. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) accused Mladić of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, alleging that Bosnian Serb forces killed at least 7,500 Muslim males in Srebrenica over a five-day period.

Indictment and Hiding

In 1995, NATO airstrikes halted Bosnia Serb advances and paved the way for the Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the war. The agreements required the extradition of individuals accused of war crimes to the ICTY, but Mladić refused to surrender. He disappeared from public view in the summer of 2002, allegedly seeking refuge in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, or near Belgrade.

Unending Pursuit

Despite ongoing searches and a $5 million reward offered by the United States, Mladić remained at large. He enjoyed support from nationalists in Bosnia and Serbia, including the Serbian Socialist Party and the Radical Party. In 2006, he reportedly spoke with ICTY prosecutor Carla del Ponte over the phone, promising to surrender, but the conversation's authenticity remains uncertain. Nevertheless, EU negotiations with Serbia were suspended due to Mladić's continued evasion.

Legacy and Impact

Ratko Mladić's actions in Bosnia and Herzegovina left an enduring mark on the region. As a military strategist, he played a key role in the Bosnian Serb campaign of ethnic cleansing. His indictment by the ICTY for war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity remains a testament to his heinous actions. His continued evasion of justice has been a source of frustration and pain for victims and their families.