The Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has confirmed to Detektor that it is continuing the investigation into camps in Republika Srpska where Russian instructors allegedly trained Moldovan citizens.
“In recent months, through the Institute of International Legal Assistance, the BiH Prosecutor’s Office reached out to partner institutions in Moldova regarding reports of activities involving Moldovan nationals in BiH and potential criminal offences,” the office said in a written statement.
Although the exact date of the communication was not specified, the Prosecutor’s Office noted that no response has yet been received from Moldovan authorities. The confirmation follows the opening of a case in mid-July 2025, first reported by Detektor. At that time, the office did not provide details on the stage of the investigation into the Russian training camps discovered at the end of 2024. Requests for cooperation sent to Moldova’s Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs also remain unanswered.
Previous reporting by Detektor, in collaboration with Moldovan outlet CU SENS, detailed the structure of the camps. Participants claimed they underwent training near Banja Luka focused on organising protests and provoking police, with some instructors allegedly linked to the Wagner Group — a Russian paramilitary organisation known for operations in Ukraine, Africa, and Syria.
During a recent court hearing in Chișinău, convicted killer Vladimir Harcevnicov testified that he travelled from Moldova to BiH via Serbia, where he helped assemble and calibrate drones and participated in exercises ranging from drone operation to Molotov cocktail preparation.
Authorities in Republika Srpska and the Russian Embassy in BiH have denied the existence of such camps, despite available evidence. While the BiH Prosecutor’s Office continues collecting information, trials in Moldova are ongoing, with witnesses describing physical abuse, alcohol consumption, movement restrictions, and blackmail within the camps. The facilities were reportedly located in the village of Glamočani, north of Banja Luka, near the former Zalužani military airport.
In September, Moldovan police detained 74 individuals — some allegedly tied to Russian criminal networks — suspected of planning to incite unrest. Russian instructors reportedly trained them in Serbia between July and September 2025. Serbian authorities have arrested Lazar Popović from Belgrade and Sava Stevanović from Loznica on charges of organising and financing the tactical training.
According to BIRN Serbia, groups of around 50 participants visited the Sunčana Reka tourist complex in Banja Koviljača, on the Drina River, at least four times in recent months.
