Mladić and the monstrous crimes of the 'Butcher of Bosnia'
This article provides a biographical overview of Ratko Mladić, detailing his role as the commander of the Bosnian Serb army during the 1990s. It highlights his responsibility for the siege of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre, framing his legacy through his brutal military campaigns.
Why it matters
It serves as a historical record of the actions that led to Mladić's conviction and his role in the most significant European atrocities since World War II.
Image source, Corbis/Getty Images By Sam Woodhouse Published 12 minutes ago Ratko Mladić, who has died at the age of 84, was the bull-necked "Butcher of Bosnia".
As Commander of the Bosnian Serb army, he oversaw a brutal campaign of "ethnic cleansing" as Yugoslavia splintered in the 1990s.
The phrase was a chilling euphemism for the massacre of tens of thousands of men, women and children - in pursuit of what he saw as a chance to fulfil the historic destiny of Greater Serbia.
It was a goal he pursued with single-minded determination and studied brutality - and it made him responsible for the bloodiest atrocities Europe has witnessed since Hitler's Third Reich.
His fanaticism made him a hero to his people. He told them their Muslim neighbours planned to "impale Serbs, burn them alive, crucify them and put out their eyes".
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