Dodik is forming a paramilitary unit trained by Russian mercenaries

As Theuardia writes, referring to the published report, which was confirmed by the Bosnian Security Minister, this situation comes at a time of increasing Western anxiety about Russia's efforts to destabilise the Balkans and resist NATO enlargement in the region.

On Tuesday, Milorad Dodik, leader of the Bosnian Serb hardline, made a military parade in Banja Luka, contrary to a decision by the country's Constitutional Court.

The report, published in Zhurnal, said that a militia named Serbia's “Nder”, reportedly trained in a “humanitarian centre” funded by Russia in Serbia, is in the process of creating a paramilitary group that will be used against Dodik's opponents.

The report, including a photo of the awards ceremony, says one of the group's leaders, Bojan Stojkovic, is a former Serbian paratrooper who had trained in Moscow and had received a medal from Valeriy Kalyakin, a Russian general.

Dragan Mektić, Bosnian Security Minister, said intelligence and security services were aware of the group's presence and activities. “We have been using this information for a long time, we have collected a lot of information about this”, McCtic said, adding that he could not provide further details, as his officials were drafting a full report for the Bosnian Prosecutor's Office,