31st anniversary of Operation Flash

Croatia marked the 31st anniversary of the Military-Police Operation Flash, with which the Croatian armed forces launched the liberation of the occupied territory of Western Slavonia on May 1, 1995. 

It took the Croatian forces 32 hours to liberate about 500 square kilometers of previously occupied Western Slavonian territory and establish control over the Zagreb-Lipovac highway and the railway to Eastern Slavonia. Operation Flash was one of the key events in modern Croatian history, which also announced the final liberation of the occupied territories in Operation Storm, a turning point in the process of defending and liberating Croatian territory during the Homeland War.

State leaders gathered in Okučani today where they paid respects to those who gave their lives for the homeland laying wreaths and lighting candles. Attending were President Zoran Milanović, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and Minister of Defense Ivan Anušić just to name a few.

“This operation was efficient and fast, marking a new quality and strength of the Croatian army and police. At that moment, liberating the Zagreb-Lipovac highway was a key achievement, as was the railway route,” said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

“The spine of the Greater Serbian aggressor was broken and Croatia then won militarily and rounded everything off with the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube Region in 1998,” said Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković.

“Emotions are naturally mixed, like at every one of these anniversaries, we remember our brothers in arms and all of those moments, but generally after so many years, we are proud,” said Minister of Defense Ivan Anušić who took part in the operation as a soldier.

Around 7,200 Croatian soldiers and police participated in the military-police operation Flash. 51 Croatian defenders were killed or died of wounds, and 162 defenders were wounded.

In retaliation for the defeat in Operation Flash, the Serbian leadership ordered the shelling of Croatian cities. The capital Zagreb was also attacked, where a children's hospital, a high school, the Academy of Dramatic Arts and other civilian facilities were hit. Seven civilians were killed and at least 176 were wounded.

Source: HRT