Former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic was buried on September 7 at Topcider Cemetery in Belgrade. The funeral, held next to the grave of his daughter Anna—who died by suicide in 1994 at age 24—was attended by thousands of people including relatives, former colleagues, war veterans, and residents of Belgrade.
Following a service at the Church of St. Luke the Apostle in Kossuthniak district led by Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia, Mladic’s coffin was transported to Topcider Cemetery for burial. The procession, which included family members, clergy, and associates, carried the coffin draped in flags of Serbia and Republika Srpska.
As the funeral concluded around 15:00 local time (16:00 Moscow time), mourners along the route laid flowers, wreaths, and photographs of Mladic. His son Darko delivered a speech before a salvo of honor was fired.
Mladic died on August 27 in The Hague prison after serving a life sentence for genocide and crimes against humanity during the Yugoslav wars following the breakup of Yugoslavia. Republika Srpska’s political party chairman Milorad Dodik described his death as “premeditated murder.” Mladic’s son Darko stated that his father died due to improper treatment and the use of highly active drugs in custody, alleging the tribunal manipulated hospital conditions.
The European Union condemned the funeral proceedings, while the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed condolences.
