Operation Winter '94

Operation Winter '94
Part of the Croatian War of Independence and the Bosnian War
Sinj Šibenik Zadar Gospić Knin Udbina Bihać Banja Luka Livno Kupres Grahovo Glamoč Drvar Jajce Mrkonjić Grad Šipovo Drniš Benkovac Uništa Croatia:   HV-controlled,   HV gains in Leap 1 & 2,   ARSK-controlled Bosnia and Herzegovina: HV- or HVO-controlled since   before 29 Nov 1994,   Winter '94,   Leap 1,   Leap 2   VRS-controlled,   ARBiH-controlled
Date 29 November – 24 December 1994 Location Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina Result HV and HVO victory
Belligerents
Croatia  Bosnia and Herzegovina HVO	Republika Srpska
Commanders and leaders
Tihomir Blaškić Janko Bobetko Ante Gotovina	Ratko Mladić Radivoje Tomanić
Strength
3,000–4,000 soldiers (HV) 2,000–3,000 soldiers (HVO)	3,500 soldiers
Casualties and losses
29 soldiers killed 58 soldiers wounded 3 soldiers missing	Unknown

Operation Leap 1
Part of the Croatian War of Independence and the Bosnian War
Date 7 April 1995 Location Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina Result Croatian victory
Belligerents
Croatia	Republika Srpska
Commanders and leaders
Janko Bobetko Ante Gotovina	Ratko Mladić Radivoje Tomanić
Units involved
7th Guards Brigade 126th Home Guard Regiment	9th Light Infantry Brigade

Operation Leap 2
Part of the Croatian War of Independence and the Bosnian War
Map of Operations Leap 1 and Leap 2
Date 4–10 June 1995 Location Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina Result HV and HVO victory
Belligerents
Croatia  Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina HVO	Republika Srpska  Serbian Krajina
Commanders and leaders
Janko Bobetko Ante Gotovina	Ratko Mladić Radivoje Tomanić Milan Čeleketić
Strength
5,000	3,500

 Croatia
 Bosnia and Herzegovina

Operation Winter '94 (Croatian: Operacija Zima '94) was a joint military offensive of the Croatian Army (HV) and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) fought in southwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina between 29 November and 24 December 1994. The operation formed part of the Croatian War of Independence and the Bosnian War fought between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and two unrecognized para-states proclaimed by Croatian Serbs and Bosnian Serbs. Both para-states were supported by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and Serbia. The JNA pulled out in 1992, but transferred much of its equipment to the Bosnian Serb and Croatian Serb forces as it withdrew.

Operation Winter '94 was the first in a series of successful advances made by the HV and the HVO in or near the Livanjsko field, an elongated flat-bottomed valley surrounded by hills. The region was formally controlled by the HVO, but the HV contributed a substantial force, including commanding officers. The attacks were primarily designed to draw the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) away from the besieged city of Bihać. The secondary objective was threatening the single direct supply route between Drvar in the Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska and Knin, the capital of the Croatian Serb Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK).