UK military specialists will be sent to Bosnia and Herzegovina to reinforce the NATO Mission and promote stability and security in the country, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Thursday.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently facing the greatest existential threat in its post-war period, with secessionist leaders actively working to create further division and conflict. These plans are backed by Moscow as part of Putin’s drive to undermine both Bosnia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and its stability, the statement from the UK Government's website said.

At the request of NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, a UK military counter-disinformation expert and a civilian strategic defence adviser will be deployed to support and train the Bosnia and Herzegovinian Armed Forces.

The counter-disinformation expert will bolster the NATO HQ and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ability to resist malign influences – helping block Russian and other efforts to sow mistrust and undermine democracy in the country and region.

The new strategic defence adviser will support defence reform in the country, helping them to develop a modern, representative Armed Forces brought up to NATO standard.

In addition, the UK will provide £750,000 to establish a cyber-security centre of excellence within the University of Sarajevo. This will bolster Bosnia and Herzegovina’s defences against cyber-attacks – which can hurt people both within and beyond the country. The UK will work closely with media outlets and Bosnian institutions to equip them with the tools to identify and mitigate the effects of lies and disinformation.