OPERACIJA „OLUJA“

Pobjeda Hrvatske u ratu za neovisnost postignuta je vojno-redarstvenom operacijom „Oluja“ 1995. godine. Akcija oslobađanja cijelog okupiranog teritorija započela je 4. kolovoza 1995. godine. „Oluja“ se detaljno planirala te je izvođena na sveukupno četiri sektora, od strane pet Zbornih područja (Gospić, Split, Karlovac, Zagreb, Bjelovar) koji su bili dijelom napada. Uspješna operacija omogućila je ne samo vraćanje oduzetih hrvatskih teritorija već i kasnije mirno rješavanje sukoba na ostalim teritorijima Hrvatske, jednako kao i u Bosni i Hercegovini.

Zapovjedništvo Zbornog područja je radi operativnijeg djelovanja podijeljeno u dva dijela – na  ogulinski smjer  i karlovački smjer. Na karlovačkom pravcu angažirane su snage 104. brigade, 110. i 137. domobranske pukovnije. Na pravcu od Ogulina prema Plaškom angažirane su snage 14. i 143. domobranske pukovnije te 99. brigade HV-a. U pričuvi je bila bojna 148. brigade HV-a. Zapovjedno mjesto bilo je u Karlovcu, a Istaknuto zapovjedno mjesto u Ogulinu, na čelu s generalom Marijanom Marekovićem. Protivničke snage činio je Kordunaški korpus (sjedište na Petrovoj gori) i 70. pješačka brigada Ličkog korpusa  koja je imala zadaću spriječiti prodor HV-a na pravcu Ogulin – Plaški – Plitvička Jezera.

Provedba operacije Oluja

Iako je na pravcu od Josipdola prema Plaškom 143. domobranska pukovnija HV-a naišla na minska polja i jak srpski otpor, do kraja dana je ovladala crtom Veliki Humac – Sekulića poljane – Sekulića vršak – Drenovica – Kameniti vrh.

Napad 99. brigade HV-a i pridodane satnije Saborsko iz 143. domobranske pukovnije počeo je prema prometnici Plaški – Plavča Draga i prema Plaškom. Brigada je zaustavljena u napadu.

Zadaća 14. domobranske pukovnije bila je osloboditi Slunj. Pukovnija je napredovala pravcem selo Barilovići – Kosijersko Selo, a lijevim bokom je nakon uspješnog forsiranja rijeke Mrežnice nastavila prema Primišlju. Na desnom krilu nakon ovladavanja pravcem Glavičurak – Simića brdo – Ravidjenica – Gornji Tržić pukovnija se spojila s dijelom snaga 143. domobranske pukovnije.

Drugog dana operacije (5. kolovoza) na ogulinskom pravcu 143. domobranska pukovnija je zauzela brdo Hum što joj je omogućilo nastavak napada prema Plaškom i Plavčoj Dragi. Pukovnija je tijekom noći potisnula srpske snage prema Vrelu Mrežnice, stavila pod nadzor prometnicu Plavča Draga – Tobolić, ovladala područjem Plaščanske doline, oslobodila Plaški i nastavila napad prema Vrelu Mrežnice. Zbog slabosti u 99. brigadi iz nje je izdvojena jedna satnija i pridodana 143. domobranskoj pukovniji za djelovanje 5. kolovoza. Glavnina 99. brigade HV-a izmještena je na pravac Sabljaci – Plaški – Plavča Draga, radi praćenja 143. domobranske pukovnije i osiguranja desnog krila napada.

14. domobranska pukovnija uvela je svježe snage i ujutro krenula u napad te do kraja dana ovladala crtom Raletina – Kurjevac – Primišlje – Glumačka glavica i oslobodila Primišlje, čime je u potpunosti izvršila svoju zadaću u prvoj fazi napada. Prva gardijska brigada HV-a oslobodila je u Ličku Jesenicu i Saborsko. Na pravac Glibodol – Lička Jesenica – Saborsko uvedena je 2. bojna 119. brigade HV-a.

Ujutro 6. kolovoza, nakon prestrojavanja snaga, 143. domobranska pukovnija HV-a izvela je napad pravcem Vrelo Mrežnice – Slunj. Pukovnija se u Bročancu spojila sa snagama 1. gardijske brigade HV-a, a poslijepodne je u suradnji s dijelovima te brigade i 14. domobranske pukovnije ušla u Slunj.

U zonu odgovornosti ZP Karlovac u međuvremenu je ušla 1. gardijska brigada koja se tijekom dana spojila s postrojbama 5. korpusa Armije Bosne i Hercegovine.

Tijekom 7. kolovoza pričuvne postrojbe su uporabljene za zaštitu državne granice, čime je 1. gardijska brigada HV-a rasterečena za daljnja djelovanja.Zborno područje Karlovac je glavne snage angažiralo prema unutrašnjosti Korduna. Dio 143. domobranske pukovnije angažiran je na osiguranju Poligona Slunj i Primišlja, a dio je iz Poloja uveden na pravac Veljun – Vojnić. Postrojba je oko 15,40 sati ušla u Vojnić, a dio je angažiran za čišenja područja sela s desne strane rijeke Korane. Dio ove skupine je nakon ulaska u selo Zagorje, prema zapovijedi, propustio prolazak 1. gardijskoj brigadi i nakon nje je kroz Krnjak kasno poslijepodne ušao u Vojnić.

Okončanjem glavnih borbenih djelovanja postrojbe 143. domobranske pukovnije angažirane na pretresu oslobođenog područja  Vrginmost – Lasinja – Skakavac.

/ENG/

OPERATION “STORM”

Croatia’s victory in the Independence War was achieved in 1995 with the military operation called “Storm”. The action to liberate the entire occupied territory began on 4 August 1995. The “Storm” was planned in detail and was carried out on a total of four sectors, by five Military Districts (Gospić, Split, Karlovac, Zagreb, Bjelovar) that were part of the attack. The successful operation enabled not only the return of the taken Croatian territory, but also the later peaceful conflict resolution in other territories of Croatia, as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For the purpose of more operational activities, the command of the Military District was divided in two parts – the Ogulin direction and the Karlovac direction. The forces of the 104th brigade, 110th and 137th home guard regiments were engaged on the Karlovac direction. The forces of the 14th and 143rd home guard regiments, as well as the 99th brigade of the Croatian Army were engaged on the route from Ogulin to Plaški. The battalion of the 148th Croatian Army brigade was in reserve. The command post was in Karlovac, and the significant command post was in Ogulin, led by General Marijan Mareković. The opposing forces consisted of the Kordun Corps (seat at Petrova Gora) and the 70th Infantry Brigade of the Lika Corps, which had the task of preventing the penetration of the Croatian Army on the route Ogulin – Plaški – Plitvička Jezera.

Implementation of the Operation Storm

Although on the route from Josipdol to Plaški the 143rd home guard regiment of the Croatian Army encountered minefields and strong Serbian resistance, by the end of the day it controlled the line Veliki Humac – Sekulića poljane – Sekulića vršak – Drenovica – Kameniti vrh.

The attack of the Croatian Army’s 99th Brigade and the Saborsko battalion from the 143rd home guard regiment began towards the road Plaški – Plavča Draga and towards Plaški. The brigade was stopped in its attack.

The task of the 14th home guard regiment was to liberate Slunj. The regiment advanced in the direction of the village of Barilovići – Kosijersko Selo, and on the left flank, after successfully forcing the Mrežnica river, continued towards Primišlje. On the right wing, after gaining control over the route Glavičurak – Simića brdo – Ravidjenica – Gornji Tržić, the regiment joined forces with part of the forces of the 143rd home guard regiment.

On the second day of the operation (5th August) on the Ogulin route, the 143rd home guard regiment occupied the Hum hill, which enabled it to continue its attack towards Plaški and Plavča Draga. During the night, the regiment pushed the Serbian forces towards Vrelo Mrežnica, put the road Plavča Draga – Tobolić under control, took control of the area of Plaščanska dolina, liberated Plaški and continued the attack towards Vrelo Mrežnica. Due to the weakness in the 99th Brigade, one battalion was separated from it and added to the 143rd home guard regiment for operations on 5th August.

The main part of the Croatian Army’s 99th Brigade was moved to the direction Sabljaci – Plaški – Plavča Draga, in order to monitor the 143rd home guard regiment and secure the right wing of the attack.

The 14th home guard regiment introduced fresh forces and launched an attack in the morning and by the end of the day controlled the line Raletina – Kurjevac – Primišlje – Glumačka glavica and liberated Primišlje, fully fulfilling its task in the first phase of the attack. The Croatian Army’s First Guard Brigade liberated Lička Jesenica and Saborsko. The 2nd Battalion of the Croatian Army’s 119th Brigade was introduced in the direction of Glibodol – Lička Jesenica – Saborsko.

In the morning of August 6, following the redistribution of forces, the Croatian Army’s 143rd home guard regiment launched an attack in the direction of Vrelo Mrežnica – Slunj. In Bročanac, the regiment joined the forces of the Croatian Army’s 1st Guard Brigade, and in the afternoon, in cooperation with parts of that brigade and the 14th home guard regiment, entered Slunj.

In the meantime, the 1st Guard Brigade entered the area of responsibility of the Karlovac Military District, which merged with the troops of the 5th Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the day.

During August 7, the reserve troops were used to protect the state border, which relieved the Croatian Army’s 1st Guard Brigade for further operations. The Karlovac Military District engaged the main forces towards the interior of Kordun. A part of the 143rd home guard regiment was engaged in securing the Slunj polygon and Primišlje, and a part was introduced from Poloje to the direction Veljun – Vojnić. The troops entered Vojnić around 3:40 pm, and part of it was engaged in liberating the village area on the right side of the Korana river. After entering the village of Zagorje, part of this group, according to the order, let the 1st Guard Brigade pass and entered Vojnić through Krnjak in the late afternoon after it.

With the end of the main combat operations of the 143rd home guard regiment’s troops were engaged in the search of the liberated area Vrginmost – Lasinja – Skakavac.