ZAGREB, 27 July 2022 - Croatia's 1st contingent on Wednesday departed from Karlovac for Hungary to join NATO's enhanced Vigilance Activity (eVA) mission, and it was sent off by President Zoran Milanović.

Addressing the 60-strong contingent that includes four women soldiers, President Milanović told them that they were not going to Hungary by chance.

"An unclear and uneasy autumn lies ahead us. Being encouraged by the speech which the Chinese Prime Minister (Li Keqiang) delivered (in his video message) at the Pelješac Bridge inauguration ceremony, I am a bit more optimistic than ten days ago. It seems to me that the world could be wiser and that the terrors in Ukraine could be over soon and that human lives could be saved," said Milanović, the armed forces' supreme commander.

"We have no influence on how the war (in Ukraine) will end. It is the duty of our state leadership to make well-thought-out decisions. I have not signed this decision (on your departure) with ease, however, I have not signed it for you be sent to into danger. May you fill Croatia, its history and tradition with pride," the president said.

Croatia's troops, together with contingents from other NATO members, will participate in training and manoeuvres that will last up to seven months in Hungary.

The contingent includes military police troops, special troops, mine removal specialists, medical professionals and some other specialists. 

The contingent commander Ivan Zečević Tadić said that every peace mission carries risks and that the safety and security of the members of this contingent would be his priority.

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June 3, 2022 - A Croatian citizen who fought in Ukraine was recently wounded in battle and is expected to return to Croatia for treatment. The wounded Croatian soldier joined the Ukrainian army as a volunteer.

According to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the wounded Croatian soldier in question was transported to a safe place from where he will be provided with transport and continue his journey back to Croatia, where he will continue his treatment in one of Zagreb's hospitals, reports Jutarnji List.

''We can confirm the information about the injured Croatian citizen in Ukraine, who was transported to safety by the joint efforts of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ministry of Health along with the help of the Ukrainian authorities. From where he is now, he will be provided with further transport and continue his journey to Croatia'', said the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Jutarnji list learned that the Croatian citizen who was wounded in Ukraine is stable and out of danger. 

''A young man went to Ukraine to fight at the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine,'' confirmed Denis Scheler, who was a member of the Azov Regiment for six years, and who was recently accused by Moscow of organising the departure of Croats to Ukraine.

''What I do know is that he was slightly injured because of a small amount of shrapnel that hit him. He is able to normally and everything is fine, it's nothing terrible,'' says Scheler.

He is on his way to Zagreb where he will be treated and then spend time recovering after being wounded on the southeastern battlefield in Ukraine about ten days ago. Scheler notes that no Croats are in the Azov Regiment, and that includes this particular wounded man.

As Jutarnji list unofficially found out, the Croat wounded in Ukraine will be taken by a Croatian ambulance from the Hungarian-Ukrainian border and most likely transferred to Dubrava Hospital, unless some specific injuries are identified that cannot be treated there. He will then be transferred to KBC Zagreb.

The Minister of Health, Vili Beroš, only briefly confirmed to Jutarnji list that the organisation of the reception of the wounded Croatian citizen from Ukraine is in progress, and that his injuries pose no danger to his life.

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February 26, 2022 - The fighting continues in Ukraine, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made it clear that they will not lay down their arms. He also called for volunteers in Europe to join the defense of the country, and the first Croatian volunteers have reportedly arrived on Ukrainian soil.

Fighting has been going on in Ukraine for three days since Russia invaded to "carry out the demilitarization and denazification" of the neighboring country. And while Ukrainian forces are fighting fiercely in several cities, Croats will soon join them.

Today, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that they will not lay down their arms and the Ukrainian army will continue to contain the Russian invasion in Kyiv. Additionally, in a televised statement, he urged volunteers in Europe to join the fight, who would be given weapons.

The first Croatian volunteers are going to the battlefield in Ukraine to fight on the side of the Ukrainian army, Dnevnik Nova TV writes.

As they have reported, a larger group of volunteers should join the Ukrainian army in a few days, and they have military experience from before and are full of desire to help the Ukrainian army.

Croats are not the only ones who will help Ukraine. Numerous countries have announced they are sending weapons, but also financial aid. On the other hand, ordinary citizens have made it clear what they think of Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to go to war.

Protests against the Russian invasion took place in many European cities this Saturday, especially many citizens at the protests in the countries bordering Russia. Solidarity with Ukraine has been expressed around the world. In Zagreb, hundreds demonstrated against the Russian aggression that has so far claimed the lives of nearly 4619 Ukrainians.

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ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - The Croatian government has adopted a draft decision on deploying up to 10 Croatian soldiers in the NATO Response Force (NRF), the defense ministry stated on Thursday when Russia started invading Ukraine.

The draft decision has been forwarded to President Zoran Milanović, the supreme commander of the armed forces, for adoption, the press release reads.

According to Defence Minister Mario Banožić, Croatian troops will be part of the "Very High Readiness Joint Task Force" (VJTF) within the alliance's Response Force.

That means that they will be ready within a few days.

During the Prague summit in 2002, NATO decided on the establishment of its Response Force, and the Wales summit in 2014 decided on the set-up of VJTF.

In 2015, Croatia's parliament adopted decisions that paved the way for the deployment of Croatian soldiers in those units.

Earlier today, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance had activated its defense plans on the deployment of additional forces in NATO's eastern members.

"Today, the North Atlantic Council decided to activate our defense plans, at the request of our top military commander, General Tod Wolters," Stoltenberg said and added that he has "called a virtual Summit of NATO leaders tomorrow, to address the way forward."

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ZAGREB, 11 Feb 2022 - Defence Minister Mario Banožić on Friday met with members of the 8th Croatian Army contingent who had recently returned from NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Poland, saying that they had done a fantastic job and that he was proud of them. 

The defence minister said that Croatian soldiers were always highly appreciated in international missions and operations. Our allies and partners have expressed great respect for the involvement of the 8th Croatian Contingent and their knowledge and skills, he added.

"We are showing a high level of knowledge and resourcefulness. I am proud of you all. In this demanding activity, you showed the ability, motivation and readiness of the Croatian soldier. You really did a fantastic job," Banožić said. 

The 80-strong 8th Contingent participated in the Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Poland from 5 January 2021 to 24 January 2022. They took part in military exercises and joint activities with other nations within their Battle Group, as well as in sporting events.

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ZAGREB, 29 Nov 2021 - Defence Minister Mario Banožić on Monday responded to accusations from the president's office that soldiers were not receiving per diems, telling the head of the president's office and the president's defence advisor that the ministry "will not cover for their incompetence".

"Instead of holding unconvincing press conferences and shifting responsibility to others, the gentlemen from the Office of the President should be more responsible in spending their office's budget, so there would be no problems they had mentioned. While I am minister, the Ministry of Defence will not cover for their incompetence," Banožić wrote on Facebook.

The head of the president's office, Orsat Miljenić, and presidential defence adviser Dragan Lozančić said today that Banožić's abuse had spread to soldiers who supported the president because they had not received their per diems.

Miljenić said Banožić decided a month ago not to pay per diems to soldiers who supported President Zoran Milanović in any way, specifically soldiers who recently were lined up in Vukovar and carried wreaths in Škabrnja.

Miljenić said the military chief-of-staff warned the president's office about dozens of such cases in the past month. He added that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was notified but has taken no action.

Miljenić said this situation was unacceptable and hoped that Banožić would rescind his "unconstitutional and unlawful decision" and resume paying people what they had earned.

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ZAGREB, 22 Nov 2021 - The 36th 130-strong Croatian Army Contingent, including six servicewomen, is being given a formal send-off on Monday to join NATO's KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. The media and the defence minister are not present at the ceremony.

The ceremony is taking place in the barracks of the 132nd Croatian Army Brigade in the eastern city of Našice without the presence of the media. It is being attended by President Zoran Milanović in his capacity as Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces, while Defence Minister Mario Banožić has canceled his attendance.

The Defence Ministry said that Banožić had canceled his attendance because neither he nor the contingent commander was scheduled to address the ceremony and because the media were not allowed into the barracks to cover the event.

"The Croatian Army is above all of us politicians. We are all transient, and it will exist as long as there is Croatia. I did not go to Našice for the send-off ceremony because I wanted no part in a show by the gentleman who unfortunately does not understand the first two sentences in this post. I wish the members of the 36th Croatian Contingent a safe journey and a successful mission. See you soon," the defence minister wrote on Facebook.

Although the Ministry's press office on Sunday invited the media to cover the event, the President's Office later said that the ceremony "does not envisage the participation of the media," adding that the public would be informed about the event in a press release which would include photographs.

Representatives of the media gathered outside the barracks gate on Monday morning but were denied entry.

The President's Office said that the sole purpose of the send-off ceremony was to show the commander in chief, military commanders, and the defence minister the contingent's readiness for the mission. "Such an important event for the military cannot and will not be used for anyone's daily political interests," it said.

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