RS gets Serbian guns - and, reportedly, Russian advisers

These concerns have to do with the intentions of the authorities in the Serb entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Serb Republic (RS) - which the paper refers to as "the separatist-led regional government" - and also, with "deepening Russian influence."

Beta agency is citing the article on Tuesday to say that "a shipment of 2,500 automatic rifles from Serbia is due to arrive in the Serb-run half of Bosnia in March, weeks before the scheduled opening of a new training center where Russian advisers are expected to play a role."

"The weapons are arriving at a time when Bosnia's long-term stability is in doubt," the Guardian continued, adding that the Dayton Agreement signed in 1995 to end the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina "divided the country into two semi-autonomous parts" - namely, the RS, and the Muslim-Croat Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (FBiH)."

And while this "stopped the killing" - it created a system that rewarded "ethnically based politics," the British paper said.

Now "Serb civil society activists, the central Bosnian government in Sarajevo and western diplomats believe that a new heavily armed police unit will be used by the Bosnian Serb separatist leader, (RS President) Milorad Dodik, to entrench his position and intimidate opponents ahead of elections in October."

Russia, the article continued, strongly backs Dodik, referred to as "the Serb separatist" - and noted that Dodik and Russian President Vladimir Putin "met at least six times since 2014."

The newspaper also mentions Dodik's ties with Russia, and "Russian-trained members of a paramilitary group Serbian honor that appeared on the streets of Banja Luka."

Dodik confirmed the arms purchase, saying it was "a legitimate action," and...