The Kremlin has condemned the sentencing of Republika Srpska leader Milorad Dodik, calling it politically motivated and warning that it could destabilize the Balkans.
On Wednesday, Bosnia’s state court sentenced Dodik to one year in prison and banned him from holding office for six years after he defied orders from an international peace envoy. Dodik, a close ally of Russia, rejected the charges and has taken steps to diminish the Bosnian state’s authority in Republika Srpska, including barring state prosecutors, courts, and intelligence agencies from operating in the entity.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin had met Dodik multiple times and maintained a constructive working relationship with him.
“What happened in Sarajevo naturally provokes our negative reaction. We condemn such actions as they may have serious consequences not just for Bosnia and Herzegovina but for the entire Balkans,” Peskov said, according to Reuters.
He further claimed that Dodik’s prosecution was politically driven and targeted not only him personally but also “all patriotic Serbian forces,” calling it unacceptable.
