About 100 Bosnian Serb nationalists demonstrated Saturday within the nation's second-largest metropolis Banjaluka in assist of Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
Individuals waved Russian flags and described Russia's determination to invade its a lot smaller neighbour as a reputable "battle to liberate [Ukraine's] subjugated individuals".
"Russia shouldn't be at struggle with Ukraine, it's at struggle with the darkish Euro-Atlantic forces that need to dominate the world and destroy it," stated Zdravko Močević, one in every of over 100 individuals, largely males, who joined the rally.
The professional-Russia protests are one of many few in Europe since Moscow invaded Ukraine on 24 February.
The most important demonstrations in assist of the Kremlin noticed 1000's take to the streets of Serbia's capital Belgrade on 4 March, carrying placards with the letter Z -- now synonymous with the invasion -- and Russian and Serb nationalist flags.
The gathering in Banjaluka was organised by Bosnian Serb members of the Night time Wolves, an area department of the Russian bike membership that staunchly helps President Vladimir Putin.
Putin has repeatedly referred to the group as "associates", and has appeared at their rallies, using a Harley-Davidson bike. The Night time Wolves took half within the 2014 occupation of Crimea and combating in Donbas.
Audio system on the Banjaluka occasion included representatives of a number of native organisations, together with the Serb-Russian Bridge and Serb Folks's Motion "It is Our Alternative".
Bosnian Serb secessionist chief Milorad Dodik who was lately slapped with US sanctions for alleged corruption is broadly understood to be the Kremlin's favorite within the area.
Dodik has additionally maintained shut ties with the native department of the Night time Wolves.
Political energy in multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina is shared between Bosniak, Croat and Serb ethnic communities -- an association that got here out of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, successfully ending the 1992-1995 struggle between the three sides that killed over 100,000 individuals and displaced tens of millions.
Dodik, whose SNSD celebration is struggling to retain reputation within the run-up to the overall elections within the autumn, presently serves because the Serb member of the nation's tripartite presidency.
Regardless of Dodik's vocal opposition, Bosnia joined a historic vote earlier this month within the UN Basic Meeting denouncing Russia for invading Ukraine.
In the meantime on Saturday, no less than 5,000 Bosnians gathered within the northeastern metropolis of Tuzla at a peace rally, expressing their assist for Ukraine and demanding the tip of the struggle.
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