The Serbian Army of Krajina (SAK, Srpska vojska Krajine, abbr. SVK), also known as the Army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina or Krajina Serbian Army, was the armed forces of the Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK). The SVK consisted of ground and air elements. Created through the merger of the Territorial Defense of the Republic of Serbian Krajina (TORSK), units of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and the Krajina Militia, the SVK was officially established on 19 March 1992. Responsible for the security of the RSK, its area of responsibility covered an area of some 17,028 km² at its peak, as it was located entirely inland it thus had no naval forces. The SVK, along with the state of RSK, ceased to exist in 1995 following the Croatian military offensive Operation Storm.

Organization

Commanders-in-Chief

Commanders

Structure

At the creation of the army, it was planned that its number would be 80,000 people, however it turned out to be less.

Equipment

Vehicles

In 1995, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) estimated that the SVK had a total of 250 tanks and 100 armoured personnel carriers.

Artillery

In 1995, the IISS estimated that the SVK had a total of 200 pieces of artillery of varied calibers, 14 multiple rocket launchers, and an unknown number of 81 mm, 82 mm, and 120 mm mortars.

Anti-tank

Aircraft

In 1995, the IISS estimated that the SVK had 16 fixed-wing combat aircraft and 9 helicopters in service.

Air defence

Gallery

War crimes

During the Croatian War of Independence, numerous massacres were conducted by the Army of Serbian Krajina. On 2–3 May 1995, seven civilians were killed and many more injured in the Zagreb rocket attacks. The main leaders of the Serbian Army of Krajina, Milan Martić, Milan Babić and Goran Hadžić, were indicted and trialled by the ICTY for various war crimes and crimes against humanity. Milan Martić was sentenced to 35 years in prison, Milan Babić was sentenced to 13 years, while Goran Hadžić died shortly after their trial started.

Sources