The funeral of Ratko Mladić, known as the "Butcher of the Balkans," brought together thousands of people in the Serbian capital, Belgrade. Mladić was a Bosnian Serb military commander during the Bosnian War (1992-1995).
Mladić was convicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide and crimes against humanity. His convictions included responsibility for the Srebrenica massacre, where approximately 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed.
The tribute in Belgrade generated international controversy, with criticism that Serbia continues to glorify war criminals. The Serbian government maintained an ambiguous position on Mladić, not considering him a public hero, but also without openly condemning his legacy.
Mladić died in 2023 at age 78 while serving a life sentence in France. His funeral drew both supporters who viewed him as a defender of Serbs and condemnation from the international community.
