What was once presented as the Center for Ecology and Sports Development near the Red Cross building in northern Kosovo is now emerging as something far more troubling. Inaugurated in 2018 with great fanfare by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, this facility has been tied to covert military activity, serving as a surveillance point, weapons cache, and operational base for the now-declared terrorist organization Civil Protection according to KosovaPress.
Hidden Behind a Harmless Name
The man Vučić once embraced during that visit, Milun Milenković, also known by his nickname Lune, was introduced as a local activist and old friend. Today, he is one of the primary suspects in the December 6, 2022 terrorist attack and is accused by Kosovo’s Special Prosecution of storing weapons at that very site and monitoring movements around the Gazivoda/Ujman Lake.
He is not alone. A number of other individuals with ties to Civil Protection have been linked to that facility, several of whom are directly involved in the September 2023 Banjska attack:
Key Figures Connected to the Facility:
- Milun Milenković (Lune) – Close associate of Vučić, central figure in Civil Protection. Allegedly used the facility near the Red Cross to store weapons and conduct surveillance on Gazivoda Lake. Arrested by the Kosovo Special Prosecution in connection with the December 2022 terrorist attack.
- Stevan Pavićević – Former head of Civil Protection, accompanied Vučić during the 2018 visit. One of the key architects of the group’s infrastructure in northern Kosovo.
- Miloš Milovanović (Grizzly) – Succeeded Pavićević and led operations from the same facility. Took part in the Banjska terrorist attack.
- Milorad Jevtić (Micko) – Member of Civil Protection, also participated in the Banjska attack. His ID and a vehicle used in the assault were seized by Kosovo Police. Photographed disguised as a Red Cross worker.
- Žarko Cvetković – Another member of Civil Protection, linked to the Banjska events. Named as a suspect in a June 2024 weapons seizure in northern Mitrovica. Seen in photos wearing search-and-rescue gear.
- Aleksandar Milosavljević – From Zubin Potok, part of Civil Protection and involved in the Banjska assault. Photographed wearing a Red Cross uniform.
More Than a Symbolic Facility
Though cloaked in the language of community development and humanitarianism, the facility near the Red Cross appears to have functioned as a hub for paramilitary planning, shielded by associations with legitimate institutions. These revelations add urgency to the call for a thorough investigation of civil infrastructure in northern Kosovo, particularly those with political or military affiliations.
In a region still healing from conflict, the infiltration of aid centers by armed actors blurs the line between peacekeeping and provocation, posing a direct threat to Kosovo’s sovereignty and public safety.
