Serbian Media's Delayed, Distorted Coverage of Operation Storm's 'Fall of Knin'

Serbian official policy, nationalist opposition, and regime-controlled media largely began their narrative of the war in Croatia on August 4, 1995, with Operation Storm, ignoring preceding events. This framing omits the "balvan revolution" in 1990, the open aggression a year later, the occupation of Croatian territory, and the expulsion of non-Serb populations, as well as numerous atrocities like the fall of Vukovar.

Mainstream media under government control exclusively follow the official narrative of Operation Storm as "the largest expulsion of civilians in Europe since World War II." President Aleksandar Vučić annually reiterates threats that "Serbia will not allow new Storms." Officials connect the operation to alleged "culmination of a multi-decade process of extermination of Serbs in Croatia," drawing parallels to atrocities committed by the Ustaše regime during World War II.

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Serbia will not allow new Storms.

However, a closer look at the 1995 reporting reveals a different picture. Radio Television of Serbia, a key propaganda tool for Slobodan Milošević, and other outlets like Večernje novosti and Politika, only reported the "fall of Knin" 20 minutes into their news programs, while Tanjug did not mention it at all. On August 5, 1995, Večernje novosti ran the headline "Attack by 100,000 Soldiers," and Politika reported "More than 2,000 shells fell on Knin." Initial reports assessed the defense of the Republic of Serbian Krajina as stable.

President Franjo Tuđman's call for Croatian Serbs to remain in their homes was dismissed by Belgrade media as a mix of insult and cynicism. In the initial days, Belgrade media focused on the surprising collapse of the Republic of Serbian Krajina. Later, emphasis shifted to the columns of Serb refugees stopped near Belgrade and alleged crimes by Croatian forces. War instigator Vojislav Šešelj and RSK President Milan Martić, both convicted war criminals, made statements reflecting the chaos and blaming others.

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We warned that Serbia is defended in Knin and that Kosovo is defended in Knin, but nobody listened.