[Russia Mourns Mladić, Expresses Condolences to His Family]

On August 27, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Embassy in Serbia responded to the death of Ratko Mladić, former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army. The Russian Foreign Ministry statement said that regardless of the factual circumstances behind the case, the trial against Mladić was a blatant manifestation of double standards and anti-Serbian bias by the court. "We extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends."

Mladić passed away at the United Nations Detention Unit in The Hague at the age of 85.

During the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995, Mladić served as commander of the Bosnian Serb Army. In 2017, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) found him guilty of genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of the laws or customs of war, sentencing him to life imprisonment. The Appeals Chamber upheld the original verdict in 2021. After evading international prosecution for 16 years, Mladić was arrested by Serbian authorities in 2011 and transferred to The Hague. Thus, his actual period of incarceration—from 2011 until his death in 2026—amounted to approximately 15 years.

Within Serbia, Mladić is still regarded by many citizens as a national hero, a perception confirmed by public opinion surveys. The broader Serbian society widely believes he was unjustly convicted by the West.

Following Mladić’s death, leaders of the Bosnian Serbs accused his death of being an intentional murder. In response, the head of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), the successor body to the ICTY, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mladić's death.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly publicly criticized the verdict against Mladić at The Hague, arguing that the ruling was politicized and based on double standards. During Mladić’s lifetime, Russia had offered guarantees and requested that he be transferred to Russia for medical treatment due to his deteriorating health, but these requests were rejected by the tribunal.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1874724434623491/

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