Before Montenegro acceded to NATO in June 2017, the Russian government perpetrated a failed coup and assassination attempt against then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on the eve of Montenegro’s parliamentary elections on October 16, 2016. Bratislav Dikic, a former Serbian gendarmerie commander working under the direction of Russian military intelligence agency (GRU), and in concert with leaders of the pro-Russian Montenegrin opposition alliance (Democratic Front), “was to lead a group of around 20 insurgents, disguised as Montenegrin police officers, to occupy Montenegro’s parliament and open fire on protesters on election night.” Russian intelligence officers hoped that the violence would allow the Democratic Front to take control of the government and bring Montenegro’s NATO membership bid to a halt. According to the Montenegrin government’s indictment, Russian GRU officers covertly funneled $200,000 to the operation to purchase weapons and encrypted telephones to carry out the coup.