The Serbian Guard ( sr, Српска гарда / ''Srpska garda'') was a Serbian

paramilitary A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, subculture, and (often) function are similar to those of a professional military, but is not part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. Paramilitary units carr ...

active in the

Croatian War The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY)—and the Serb-controlled Yugos ...

with close ties to the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO). Eighty percent of the guard's members were members of the SPO. The paramilitary was formed by SPO official Vuk Drašković and his wife Danica Drašković, along with Đorđe Božović "Giška" and Branislav Matić "Beli".Serbian Guard, party army of the SPO
, Danas The paramilitary unit's training camp was located near

Bor Lake Bor Lake ( sr, / ) is an artificial lake in eastern Serbia (Bor District), at an altitude of , less than from the city of Bor, about south east from Belgrade. It is on the road from Bor to Žagubica. Hotels and country houses are built around ...

in SR Serbia,

SFR Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yug ...

. It participated in clashes on the territory of SR Croatia near the town of Gospić. Elements of the unit also participated in the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Đorđe Božović was the unit's first commander, but was killed in action near Gospić. Some people have alleged that Božović's death was an act of "friendly fire" orchestrated by the

Republic of Serbian Krajina The Republic of Serbian Krajina or Serb Republic of Krajina ( sh, Република Српска Крајина, italics=no / or РСК / ''RSK'', ), known as the Serbian Krajina ( / ) or simply Krajina, was a self-proclaimed Serb proto-state, ...

's government. The unit's chief financier Branislav Matić was gunned down in August 1991 in

Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...

. After the death of Božović, the unit was taken over by Branislav Lainović "Dugi" (The "Long"). Serbian general Nebojša Pavković has called for Drašković to be tried for his role in the guard's formation.Pavković: Vuk to the Hague!
/ref> Having a pro-opposition political stance, the guard was never favoured by the FRY's government and Yugoslav security services.

Notable members

*Đorđe Božović "Giška", Serbian career criminal and the founding father of the Guard, KIA during the Croatian war. *Branislav Matić "Beli" ("The White" or "Whitey"), founding father and chief financier, owner of large car junkyards in Belgrade. Gunned down in front of his house in 1991, presumably under the orders of the Yugoslav secret service who had been monitoring him since late 1980s. *Branislav Lainović "Dugi", career criminal and former basketball player. Took control over the Guard after Božović's death. He moved to Novi Sad after the war where he became the kingpin of a local crime syndicate. He was gunned down in Belgrade in 2000 by the members of the Zemun Clan over Novi Sad turf control. *Aleksandar Knežević "Knele", rising star of Belgrade underworld, and the underboss in the Voždovac gang. Assassinated in

Hyatt Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacat ...

hotel room in 1992, being only 21 at the time. Fought in the Battle of Borovo Selo. *Vaso Pavićević "Pava", Montenegrin Serb capo and former boxer of "Radnički" boxing club. Gunned down in an ambush on Paštrovska Gora in 1996. He commanded the troops in Tenja in 1991. *Žarko Radulović "Đaro", Montenegrin Serb career criminal. Gunned down in Brussels in 1997.

References

{{Yugoslav wars 1991 establishments in Serbia Anti-communist organizations Military units and formations established in 1991 Military units and formations of the Croatian War of Independence Military wings of political parties Paramilitary organizations based in Serbia Paramilitary organizations in the Yugoslav Wars Yugoslav Serbia

Notable members

See also

References