Russian Commander in Croatia Fired by U.N.; Aid to Serbs Alleged

In a further blow to U.N. credibility in Croatia, the United Nations on Tuesday fired a Russian commander it said was aiding rebel Serbs in eastern Croatia. It was unclear if the commander will leave.

Maj. Gen. Alexander Perelyakin, commander of a U.N.-controlled area known as Sector East, was dismissed for “severe shortcomings,” U.N. spokesman Michael Williams said.

Williams said the United Nations asked Moscow to remove its officer from the U.N. mission area the same day. The deputy U.N. commander in the area, a Belgian, was given temporary command of the sector.

But Col. Sergei Volgin, a spokesman in Moscow for the Defense Ministry, said Perelyakin remained Sector East commander and “will only be changed in accordance with a plan.” He refused to elaborate or comment on the accusations against Perelyakin.

Williams declined to discuss the possibility that Perelyakin will refuse to give up his command, claiming support from Moscow. The Russian Foreign Ministry refused comment.

Williams said Perelyakin was dismissed for lack of leadership, not following orders and failure “to improve upon his shortcomings once they were brought to his attention.”

But Williams also acknowledged that “two of the main areas” responsible for Perelyakin’s dismissal were that soldiers and weapons were crossing from Serbia in the rump Yugoslavia into Serb-held Croatia and that there was smuggling and corruption in his sector.

The episode, which embarrassed U.N. officials, highlighted the increasing chaos facing peacekeepers as the United Nations adopts new rules of operation in Croatia.

Russia’s nearly 1,400 peacekeepers in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina frequently have been accused of black-marketing and of favoring the Serbs. Russians and Serbs share a Slavic, Orthodox Christian heritage and traditionally have been political allies.

In 1993, the Russian Sector East commander, Col. Victor Loginov, remained in the area after his tour of duty was up and formed a trading company with a notorious Serb fighter who was suspected of war crimes.