Croatia on Monday commemorated the 30th anniversary of Operation Storm, a key 1995 military offensive that led to the recapture of occupied territories and effectively ended the war for independence. The day was marked by official ceremonies, military displays, and public tributes from national leaders and former officials.
Former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović paid tribute to Croatian war veterans in a message shared on social media, expressing gratitude to those who “gave everything” and congratulating citizens on Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and Croatian Veterans Day.
“Proud. Grateful. In thoughts with those who gave everything,” she wrote.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, speaking at the central event in Knin—the former stronghold of the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina—said Operation Storm had “defeated the aggressor, changed the military and geopolitical balance in Southeast Europe, and opened the path to peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
The offensive, launched on Aug. 4, 1995, by Croatian armed forces and the Bosnian Croat HVO, ended on Aug. 7 and led to the liberation of over 11,000 square kilometers of occupied territory. It is widely seen in Croatia as a turning point in the country’s fight for sovereignty.
Croatian military jets, including newly acquired Rafale fighters, took part in flyovers, while army and police units demonstrated their operational capabilities.
However, Operation Storm remains a deeply divisive event. While celebrated in Croatia as a symbol of victory and unity, it is regarded by many Serbs as the cause of one of the largest episodes of ethnic displacement during the Yugoslav wars. More than 200,000 Serbs fled Croatia during the offensive, and hundreds were killed.
In 2015, the International Court of Justice acknowledged that serious crimes had occurred during and after the operation but did not classify them as genocide.
Plenković acknowledged the suffering on all sides, emphasizing Croatia’s commitment to the return of refugees, national reconciliation, and accountability for the remaining 1,744 missing persons. He urged Serbia to intensify cooperation in resolving wartime disappearances, stating that “without the full truth, there can be no genuine relations or European future.”
“Even 30 years later, the memory of those days remains vivid,” he said. “We gather not just to remember but to reaffirm what Operation Storm means to us: strength that liberates, not oppresses.”
Operation Storm involved around 138,500 Croatian troops and resulted in the swift collapse of the Krajina Serb stronghold. Sporadic fighting continued until mid-August, but Croatian authorities declared victory on Aug. 7.
The legacy of the operation continues to shape Croatian-Serbian relations, with both countries offering sharply divergent narratives about its consequences and moral implications.