Draft:18th Western Slavonian Corps
 |
 | This is a draft article. It is a work in progress open to editing by anyone. Please ensure core content policies are met before publishing it as a live Wikipedia article. Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL Last edited by Joy (talk | contribs) 0 seconds ago. (Update)
Finished drafting? or |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2024) |
| 18. Western Slavonian Corps 18. западнославонски корпус 18. zapadnoslavonski korpus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1993–1995 |
| Disbanded | 1995 |
| Country |  Serbian Krajina |
| Branch |  Serbian Army of Krajina |
| Size | c. 4,500 |
| Garrison/HQ | Okučani (1993 to April 1995) Stara Gradiška |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Commander 1 | Colonel Lazo Babić |
| Commander 2 | Major General Milan Čeleketić |
The 18th Western Slavonian Corps was a military unit of the Serbian Army of Krajina commanded by Lazo Babić and Milan Čeleketić, whom was appointed Main Staff of the Serbian Army of Krajina after the previous incumbent Mile Novaković resigned in 1994. Čeleketić left his postion after the defeat during Operation Flash.[1]
The SAO Western Slavonia Territorial Defense and Okučani Brigade had been destroyed by the Croatian Army in 1991-92, remnants of the brigade merged into the 18th Slavonian Corps, this included form members of the Yugoslav People's Army. The 18th Western Slavonian Corps was comprised of 7 Infantry and artillery batallions.[2][full citation needed]
The Corps area responsibility was Okučani and Pakrac, the corps has 3,500-4,000 defending the area. During Operation Flash the defense was pivotal for the defense of Western Slavonia, the Corps, lacking in the ability to fight and were numerically weaker.[3][unreliable source?]
The 51st Brigade commanded by Stevo Harambašić, surrendered famously to Pakrac police chief Nikola Ivkanec, an agreement called for a ceasefire.[4][unreliable source?] A day before the surrender, either Babić or Čeleketić ordered the Corps to surrender their arms to Argentine United Nations Protection Force personnel.[3][unreliable source?]
Organization
[edit]In Western Slavonia Corps comprised of 3 Light Infantry Brigades, Mixed artillery and an armored division all of which were garrisoned in Okučani until it was moved in April 1995. The Unit had around 4,500 men at disposal a quota of the 8,000 the brigade was supposed to have.[5][6] Consisting of 7 units:[7][unreliable source?][8]
- 98th Light Infantry Brigade
- 51st Light Infantry Brigade
- 54th Light Infantry Brigade
- 59th Brigade
- 63rd Brigade
- 91st Rear guard
- 18th Artillery regiment
- Tactical Group 1 (TG 1)
Operation Flash
[edit]Operation Flash from May 1 to May 3, 1995, aimed at recapturing territory held by the Army of the Republic of Serb Krajina in Western Slavonia. The operation was marked by a rapid and decisive offensive that led to the liberation of important towns such as Okučani and the surrounding areas It was characterized by the deployment of heavily armored units and effective air support, which facilitated the swift advance of the Croatian Army with relatively low casualties.[9]
As a result, the military situation had became unfavorable, Milan Čeleketić resigned after the massive losses and failure to defend Western Slavonia, the ranks of the 18th Western Slavonian Corps collapsed due to high losses and low morale in 1995.[10]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "OMRI Daily Digest II, No. 94, 16 May 1995". www.hri.org. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ Novaković, Kosta (2009). Српска крајина. p. 329.
- ^ a b "Операција Бљесак". Српска енциклопедија (in Serbian). 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ "Oklopne jedinice Vojske Republike Srpske Krajine". web.archive.org. 2018-09-16. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ Brigović, Ivan (2009-07-26). "Osvrt na operaciju "Bljesak" u dokumentima Republike Srpske Krajine". Časopis za suvremenu povijest (in Croatian). 41 (1): 39–70. ISSN 0590-9597.
- ^ Central Intelligence Agency, Russian Intellegence Agency. Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict : Volume 1. p. 297.
- ^ "Oklopne jedinice Vojske Republike Srpske Krajine". www.srpskioklop.paluba.info. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ "Stanje morala, bojne spremnosti i problemi opskrbe u 18. korpusu Srpske vojske Krajine".
- ^ "Government of the Republic of Croatia - Croatia marking 27 years since Operation Flash". vlada.gov.hr. Retrieved 2024-09-27.
- ^ "FELJTON: Srpsku vojsku Krajine načeo je Bljesak, a dokrajčila Oluja". NACIONAL.HR (in Croatian). 2022-03-20. Retrieved 2024-09-27.