The U.S. Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed concern over reports of Russian involvement in paramilitary training camps located in the Republika Srpska (RS) entity. These camps, reportedly linked to Russian private military groups, allegedly trained individuals to disrupt democratic processes in Moldova, Radio Free Europe (RFE) said.

The reports, released by Moldova's police and intelligence agencies on October 17, suggest that young individuals were trained at camps in Bosnia and Serbia by people associated with Russian groups Ferma and Wagner.

“The alleged existence of camps should be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable,” the US Embassy’s Public Relations Office stated. The Embassy noted that these reports raise serious questions about RS leadership’s commitment to reforms essential for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s European aspirations and democratic future.

Ilija Cvitanovic, a member of Bosnia's Joint Commission for Supervision of the Intelligence and Security Agency (OSA), commented on the matter after a recent session, saying they had requested relevant information from the agency's director. Cvitanovic confirmed that, some 60 days ago, foreign nationals who could be linked to organizing groups capable of acting against public order were identified in Bosnia.

Bosnia’s Defence Minister Zukan Helez had previously claimed the existence of paramilitary camps in the RS. He stated in a November 2022 N1 interview that young people in RS were receiving military training led by Russians. However, these claims were quickly denied by the OSA.

Helez reaffirmed his position, saying that camps were located in areas like Rogatica and Mount Maglic and that he possessed photographic evidence. The Minister later gave a statement to the Prosecutor’s Office, which opened an investigation into the matter.

The allegations have sparked strong reactions from RS officials. Security Minister Nenad Nesic denied the Moldovan claims, stating there was no credible evidence of such activities in Bosnia. RS President Milorad Dodik took to platform X (formerly Twitter), dismissing the US Embassy’s concerns as baseless. Dodik suggested the allegations were a reaction to RS officials attending the BRICS summit and criticized US Ambassador Michael Murphy for spreading false information.

RS Minister of Interior Sinisa Karan also denied the existence of training camps, claiming that the real security threat comes from radical movements in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), particularly the returning foreign fighters. He further stated that the RS police had investigated the matter and found no evidence of such camps, neither in Bosnia nor within neighbouring intelligence services.

The debate continues, with political and security tensions rising as officials investigate these serious claims.