Bosnian Defense Minister Zukan Helez faced heavy criticism in November 2023 when he claimed there were training camps for Russian special forces and intelligence officers in Republika Srpska, a Serb-dominated region within Bosnia and Herzegovina that is often seen as pro-Russia. However, a year later, his claim gained some validation when Russian intelligence officer Alexander Bezrukovni was arrested in the northwestern municipality of Bosanska Krupa.

Bezrukovni is suspected of sabotage, terrorism, and training pro-Russia forces. Reports suggest that he trained a group of Moldovans near Banja Luka with the purpose of performing violent acts against the pro-EU government in Moldova, aiming to prevent the country from joining the European Union. This group is reportedly connected to the euroskeptic Sor party, which is led by pro-Russia oligarch Ilan Shor and has been banned in Moldova since June 2023.

On February 14, Bezrukovni was extradited from Bosnia to Poland, where he is accused of coordinating attacks against the EU, NATO member Poland, Germany, the United States, and other Western allies. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the extradition and arrest, praising the work of the Internal Security Agency and the prosecutor’s office.

Helez views the arrest and extradition of Bezrukovni as a confirmation of his earlier assertions about Russian training camps in Bosnia. He criticized the verbal and media attacks he faced at the time from Republika Srpska but noted the current silence following Bezrukovni’s arrest.

While Bosnia and Herzegovina is not considered weak in the fight against Russian influence, Bosnian authorities are displeased that Moldovan intelligence services discovered the training of pro-Russia elements in their country before they did. Sarayevo-based defense and security expert Nedzad Ahatovic claims that Bezrukovni was part of a Russian Federal Security Service network responsible for a logistical base for training saboteurs.

The arrest and extradition of Bezrukovni have been seen as a disruption of a logistical corridor for financing Russian subversive activities. Questions remain about the extent of such centers in Europe. Police in Una-Sana, where Bezrukovni was arrested, confirmed the operation was conducted under an Interpol arrest warrant, with the suspect living illegantly and possessing forged documents.

Professor Dusko Vejnovic from the Faculty of Security Policy at the University of Banja Luka stated that secret service agents often use legal documents to travel undetected and that forging identity papers is not difficult for them. Now, evidence must be found to establish Bezrukovni’s affiliation with a network working against the interests of Poland and other countries.

In October, the US embassy in Sarajevo had reported concerning accounts of Russians associated with private military groups operating a camp in Republika Srpska and training individuals to disrupt democratic processes in Moldova. There is also evidence of locations in Bosnia and neighboring Serbia where youth are being trained by operatives linked to private Russian mercenary armies like the Wagner Group.

(This article was originally written in German.)

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/agent-s-arrest-exposes-russian-network-in-bosnia/a-71715037?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf