The serbs fighting for Putin in Ukraine are preparing for a new Balkan war

A new generation of Serbian nationalists is preparing for a potential conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with hundreds of militants already traveling to Ukraine to fight alongside Russian forces, The Telegraph reports.

According to the report, these militants believe that “Mother Russia” will one day repay them by helping reclaim what they consider lost Serbian territories, including Kosovo. Serbian nationalists, including veterans of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are using social media platforms to encourage young Serbs to join them, offering payments of up to €26,000 to fight on the Ukrainian front.

Fears are growing that fighters returning from Ukraine could ignite a new paramilitary conflict in Bosnia, three decades after the end of the war.

One such case is Dario Ristić, a Serbian nationalist who recently returned to Bosnia after being wounded while fighting in Ukraine with a Russian unit known as the “Bears.” Ristić, who earned the ironic battlefield nickname “Brzi” (“Fast”) despite having a prosthetic leg, reportedly took part in sniper and drone attacks in areas such as Avdiivka.

He also used social media platforms, including TikTok and the Russian network VKontakte, to glamorize the war and spread nationalist messages aimed at recruiting politically disillusioned Serbian youth. His unit reportedly even sent a birthday card to convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić, who is serving a life sentence in The Hague.

In a video posted on Telegram, Ristić appeared alongside a fellow fighter who said that once they were finished fighting “NATO fascists” in Ukraine, they would return to reclaim their “holy lands,” praising Russia and invoking victory.

After returning to Bosnia, Ristić was arrested at Sarajevo airport on suspicion of joining a foreign paramilitary unit. He was later released from custody and placed under house arrest pending trial. Despite being away from the battlefield, and with more than 10,000 online followers, he is still considered a high-risk recruiter.

Other Serbian nationalists, mostly veterans of the Bosnian war, are also active online, continuing to spread divisive ideology among young people. Regional analyst Srećko Latal said there is a widespread belief among these extremists that Russia will eventually repay a “blood debt” by helping rebuild a “Greater Serbia.”

“Their numbers are small, but they are helping attract other dissatisfied young Serbs who may be vulnerable to nationalist messaging,” Latal said, warning that only a small number of armed individuals can threaten peace and stability.

One prominent veteran with significant influence over younger fighters is Davor Savičić, known as “Vuk,” a former member of Arkan’s Tigers during the 1990s wars. He later fought with Russian forces in Crimea and Syria and was reportedly linked to the now-disbanded Wagner Group. Leaked medical reports have suggested he also held the rank of colonel within Russia’s GRU military intelligence.

Investigative journalists say the GRU allegedly set up shell companies to help Serbian and other foreign volunteers avoid detection, providing work permits and arranging travel. According to journalist Nino Bilajac, payments offered to recruits have increased as Russia becomes more desperate for fighters, with upfront sums of around €26,000 and monthly salaries of nearly €2,800.

In economically deprived towns such as Modrica, where unemployment is high and average wages are low, such offers are seen as tempting despite laws banning citizens from fighting for foreign powers. Ristić has reportedly boasted locally about receiving a veteran’s pension from Moscow and plans to open a training center and a drone repair workshop.

His return has caused anxiety among the Bosniak minority in the area, many of whom still carry traumatic memories from the 1990s war. Residents warn that while reconciliation has progressed, a small group of extremists continues to intimidate communities and revive fears of past violence.

There are also concerns about possible state involvement. Milorad Dodik, the former president of Republika Srpska who still wields significant political power, was photographed with Davor “Vuk” Savičić ahead of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this year.

Fears persist that Republika Srpska could become a training ground for Russian-backed paramilitary units, posing a broader threat to European security. Testimony from recent sabotage trials in Moldova has suggested that Republika Srpska has been used as a base for hybrid warfare training against the West, including tactics to turn peaceful protests into violent unrest and the use of drones to disrupt civilian and military infrastructure.