Russian government-connected biker gang visits Republika Srpska on Kremlin-funded tour
On March 20, 2018, members of the Russian government-connected Night Wolves biker gang entered Republika Srpska (RS), a semi-autonomous region within Bosnia and Herzegovina that has previously called for secession from the country. The Night Wolves traveled to the region “funded with a grant from the Kremlin,” according to The New York Times. The bikers visited several churches in Banja Luka, the administrative center of RS. About a week prior, Bosnia’s central government banned Night Wolves’ leaders Aleksandar Zaldostanov and Sasa Savic from entering the country citing them as threats to national security. Bosnian officials alleged the tour aimed to intimidate non-Serbs in the country. In 2014, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned the Night Wolves due to their support for Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. The Treasury Department described the group as “closely connected to the Russian special services.”

About This Incident

Incident Metadata

Date: 21-Mar-18
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina