Putin’s Night Wolves in the Balkans | Serbia’s Nationalist Biker Gang

Russia’s confrontation with the West is spilling into the Balkans. Backed by Kremlin influence through gas, the Orthodox Church, and even the notorious Night Wolves biker gang, Serb separatists are gaining confidence. Some of these riders now fight on the frontlines in Ukraine, while at home they brandish the ‘Z’ and fuel rising nationalist tensions in Bosnia.

Directors: Jean-Pierre Canet & Aude Léa Rapin

Manja Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina in June 2022. A hundred bikers hit the road for a two-day motorbike ride in celebration of the Serbian bank holidays in Vidovdan. Blaschko and his brothers, as he calls them, belong to the Bikers club, known as the Wolves of the Night. They are Serbs, fervent Orthodox believers, nationalists and pro-Russians. Russia is so powerful that it gave its name to Russia with its own blood. And by nationality, it is called as a Russian. They proudly show off their political leanings. The Z in support of Putin’s army, the Russian-Serbian flags and a variety of nationalist signs. Vladimir Putin’s regime is playing on tensions between Orthodox Serbs and Muslims, a division that tore the region apart 30 years ago. So as we approach the Muslim area, the Wolves prefer to keep a low profile. We are now going through the federal part of the border. This is the Republic of Serbia, and the Federation is here to prevent provocations. They put their flags back up. Every opportunity to display the Russian Z is welcome. Kosta Rasimovich is one of the club’s executives. His body is covered in the tattoos of a true Serbian nationalist, ultra-violent towards Muslims. Ratko Mladić is also known as the Butcher of the Balkans, commander-in-chief of the Serbian forces during the Bosnian war and executioner of Muslims. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide and crimes against humanity. The message is clear. The Serbs must always be ready to fight for their territory, exactly as Vladimir Putin is doing today in Ukraine. The Russian president is advancing his pawns closer and closer to our borders by attempting to destabilize the Balkans. To gain more of an understanding of his strategy, we visited three countries. Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro. These three independent states didn’t exist 30 years ago. They were part of Yugoslavia, an ethnic and religious melting pot consisting of three main groups. The Croats of the Catholic faith, Bosnians and Albanians, Muslims, and the most numerous, the Serbs, Orthodox Christians. Between 1992 and 1995, Serbs, Croats and Bosnians clashed in Bosnia. The main victims were Muslims, who were victims of ethnic cleansing. But NATO intervened and the war ended. And 30 years later, the situation hasn’t calmed down, in fact, quite the opposite. To extend his influence in in the Balkans, Vladimir Putin can count on the support of Serb nationalists in Bosnia, who are prepared to take up their arms once again. For them, Vladimir Putin is both an unfailing supporter and an example to follow. Russia has taken over a key sector in Serbia, energy, thanks to the energy giant Gazprom. Our president tells us that he has his hands tied. Every day and night, in our churches, there are foreign paramilitary people who are ready to perform all the orders that come to them. From the top of the priesthood, but also from the Russian and Serbian agents. Economic and security-based. An influence that is still very much underestimated by the European Union. Mr. Macron, when he was here in Belgrade, I realized that they simply don’t understand. Russians are thinking 50 years. They are preparing things for decades in advance. Without Ukraine defense in February, you’ll already have a war in Bosnia. Peace for now, but will the Balkans manage to avoid war? Let’s go back to the Serbian part of the Night Wolf’s biking trip on the roads of Bosnia. The bikers have arrived in Dervar, a small Serbian town surrounded by Muslim territory. Since the end of the war in 1995, the country has been divided into two large regions. The Muslim Croat Federation in the south and center, and around it, the Serbian Republic. These two territories constitute a single nation, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Here in Derva, unlike in the Muslim localities, the bikers receive a warm welcome. Wolf leader Gogan Tadic greets the town mayor. And the bikers of a local club. The fighters are Bosnian Serbs. Killed 30 years ago during the war against the Muslims and Croats. Many Wolfs members were on the front line at the time. Once inside the chapel, the real reason for the wolf’s visit becomes clear. To support the 4,000 Serbian inhabitants of Dvar, who find it very hard to be surrounded by Muslims, the priest’s words are openly hostile. On one side, we are Orthodox, on the brink of our homeland, faith and people, who are trying to preserve the root of Orthodoxy. And today, we are fighting to stay biologically. Because of everything that surrounds us and is in our territory, we have to fight to survive. This is the icon of St. Peter of Cetinjska. We brought one Russian icon here to pay tribute to him and to remember him at night. He was a Serbian citizen, but he stayed at the club. You know, you’re a good person. Of course, that’s why we’re together. We’re going to work together from now on. And then we’ll get back to work. Okay. You can stay here if you want to. You can show your face. I’m really glad to be here. Guram Tadic was tense because he was the one who negotiated our permission to film directly with Moscow. More particularly with this man. Alexander Zaldostanov, founder of The Night Wolves. He’s nicknamed the surgeon in reference to his medical studies. Here are the two men pictured with Vladimir Putin. The Russian president calls the leader of the Wolves my brother. They give an example to young people in our country and show them how to treat Russia. But their leader, Goran Tadic, avoided us until the evening. After off-camera negotiations, he finally agreed to a short interview. I’m from the Tsar, Nicholas. Believe me, we are one nation, we are living through the same. Europe is uniting, the European Union is uniting us. Look at what happened to Yugoslavia, to the Soviet Union. They are uniting us, and they are uniting themselves. If there is no possibility of a common life in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which I don’t see happening, then the only way is for us to separate and live as a republic. Goran Tadić appeared calm, But in reality, the Night Wolves, like the overwhelming majority of Bosnian Serbs, want independence. For the Serbian Republic to separate from Bosnia-Herzegovina, even if it means provoking a new conflict. The next day is the 28th of June, the Serbian bank holiday of Vivovdan. The wolves go to a monastery. They’re among the guests of honour at an official ceremony organised by the government of the Serbian Republic. The Wolves take their place alongside elected officials, veterans, the military and the entire government of the Bosnian Serb Republic, not forgetting the Orthodox priests. Hand in hand with the Serbian nationalists leader Milorad Dodik, his only dream for the Serbian Republic to leave Bosnia-Herzegovina. For several years, he has been hammering it. So, as far as the relationship between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Herzegovina is concerned, I don’t understand. Milorad Dodek isn’t satisfied with just giving speeches. In October 2021, he threatened to take up arms again. That day, the government of the Bosnian Serb Republic gave a display of force. That was reported by all national media. They organized a large-scale military exercise on the hills of Sarajevo. For the first time since the end of the conflict in 1995, Serbian gunfire rang out not far from the capital, which was under siege during the war. The Serbian leader’s main supporter, Vladimir Putin. Milorad Dodik and Vladimir Putin meet regularly. Considered an ally of Russia, Dodik… Is under U.S. sanctions. Just before the invasion of Ukraine, Dvordik organized another demonstration of force in support of Moscow. A parade of thousands of armed men. Officially, they were policemen. Because Bosnian Serbs aren’t allowed to form an army. These images shocked the Muslim community. Among them is Muezzin Omerovic, who lives in central Bosnia. For Muslims, the demonstration held a clear threat of war, signalling the risk of history repeating itself. It felt like it was in the air. The atmosphere was the same as in 1992. The same. You know, everything was ready for a new war. In fact, it was the resistance of the people of Ukraine that saved us, too. Because Vladimir Putin got stuck in Ukraine. Ah, what a mess! Supporting the Serb nationalists in Bosnia is no longer Putin’s priority. For Muslims like Muizin Umirovic, this is a relief, because 30 years later, he’s still affected by the 1992-1995 war. He fled from the Serbs into this forest and is one of the few survivors of the Srebrenica massacre. On 11 July 1995, the men of Serbian General Radko Mladic invaded this town in the east of the country. They drove out all the Muslim inhabitants of Srebrenica. Women, children and old people were evacuated before U.N. peacekeepers, who were unable to put a stop to the ethnic cleansing. Muslim men and teenagers, both soldiers and civilians, were systematically executed. 8,300 people died. The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia concluded it was an act of genocide. We had ambushes everywhere. Without food, without anything. We ate everything you find in nature. When you fight for your life, you become an animal. You become a real animal. Muhezine Omerovic became one of the organisers of the peace march. It takes place every year for three days. Thousands of Bosnians and peace activists crossed the mountains where the victims of Srebrenica lost their lives. The route ends at the memorial dedicated to them, 6,500 graves. As they approach the cemetery, the marchers pay their respects. Then they join the bereaved families. Sports associations, Islamic associations, military associations. The whole population of Bosnian Muslims gather here on the 11th of July. The cemetery is constantly growing as bodies of victims of the Srebrenica massacre are still being discovered. This year, there are around 50 of them. Men and women pray side by side in one of the most important mixed prayers in the Muslim world. Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest. Of the 100,000 people who died in the conflict 30 years ago, more than 60% were Muslims. After the prayers, the families bury their loved ones, while speakers read out the names of the deceased. These Muslim ceremonies anger the Serbs. A few kilometers away from the ceremony, we come across portraits left anonymously. The faces of hundreds of Serbian civilians killed during the war. Most Serbs in the region believe that they, too, were victims of ethnic cleansing and that the whole world ignores them. A resentment that Vladimir Putin uses to his advantage. To gain a better understanding, we met Kostar Rashimovich, the night Wolf’s biker with the sleeve of nationalist tattoos. He takes us to his family home, near the town of Teslich. Here, you can see portraits of General Mladic everywhere. A man convicted of crimes against humanity. During the war, the biker was only a teenager. He had to flee his village with his mother and two brothers. The hamlet is perched half an hour’s drive up the mountains. The road got less and less navigable. All that remains of the village are ruins hidden under the grass. We lived here for four years. There was a line up there, there were Muslims. There were three or four houses here. Yes, that was our area. You know how it was during the war. You can’t see the hill from here. There is the famous first unit that was there, the Al-Mujahid, the bradonji. Who came to help the Bosnian Muslim soldiers, Algerians, Saudis, Pakistanis, Afghans. These jihadists fought against the Serbs for most of the war, some of them later joining the ranks of Al-Qaeda. I think it was bad. The Serb wanted to show us some more ruins a little further on. There were seven or eight houses here, see what’s left. This can’t get out, it’s all laminated. There were active mines all around us. We had to be careful where we stepped. This is the route Kosta Rasimovich and his family took to escape the Muslim troops in 1995. You ignore everything, you forget everything. Nobody will ever show you this. Not just this village, you know how many Serbian forces there are. Burned, like this, overgrown. You don’t know that there was anything. That people lived here. He is the only one who understands our problem. Europe sees us, but it won’t understand us. What is good about Europe? We Serbs, the Orthodox, would rather be called the Russian Federation. We have our own unit in Donbass. Russian Night wolves. If the brothers need help, we are here. They are here for us and for her. What is the problem? There is no problem. We are fighting all the time in Donbass, even today. What is the problem? We are on the Russian side. Bosnia’s fate lies partly in the hands of Ukraine. But what about neighbouring Serbia? A six-hour drive across the border brings us to the capital, Belgrade. This is where invasive Serbian nationalism was born. Over 30 years ago, by former President Slobodan Milosevic. After encouraging ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, Milosevic wanted to drive the Albanians out of Kosovo. That was in 1999. But once again, NATO intervened and bombed Serbia for two and a half months. Belgrade was hit particularly hard. Some of the buildings destroyed at the time, including the old TV headquarters, still haven’t been rebuilt. Many Serbs are still angry with NATO, especially young nationalist leaders like… Damjan Knezovic. One of the symbols of the NATO bombing in 1999 is this general Staff, which after 23 years is no longer renewed. It shows the destruction of our country. They pasted this big banner, but again… Politically, this former pro basketball player is on the far right end of the spectrum. He created the People’s Patrol. He and his activists consider every migrant a potential delinquent and won’t hesitate to arrest them and hand them over to the police. And put this, please. OK? When you’re going after, put this. Is that OK? OK, you have baggage. Where are you from, guy? You speak English? You’re better. Tell me, is danger in your area because of the Taliban? Yeah, there is a lot of danger. But you left your family and came to Europe? Yeah, we left our country, we left our families there, and we came here to have a better life. Okay, but where are the girls with you? There are no girls. You cannot bring them with you? Okay, but why do you have a military bag? It’s not mine, it’s one of the friend’s. That is also not good in Serbia, believe me. Please, don’t have military bag. I know that, I’m educated, I know that. That is normal, that is normal. And put this because somebody want to steal. By lecturing this young Afghan, he’s also addressing U.S. Westerners. Please, speak with your people. Tell him to be good with our people. And please, if you want to go in Europe, go in Europe when you can. We are not guilty for war in Afghanistan. We are Serbian people, we also have war on our territory. You know, not to make war on our territory. The loss of Kosovo as a result of NATO’s intervention is unacceptable for the majority of Serbs. Serbia never recognized the country’s independence in 2008, while 90% of Kosovo is populated by Albanians. We will never give up and sooner or later, we will walk freely on the streets of Gračanica, Pristina and Prizren, because that is our ancient land. For us, Kosovo, Metohija and Jerusalem are our own. Damian Knizovic has become the Kremlin’s biggest supporter. Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, he has mobilized hundreds of thousands of his followers to support the Russian army. On the 4th of March 2022, over 2,000 people marched in the streets of Belgrade, listening to the Russian anthem. And trampling over the European flag. 20 days later, another mobilisation against NATO took place. The march ended in front of the Russian embassy. Fifteen days later, another demonstration occurred, with over 7,000 people, this time. In September 2022, a huge banner was spread out in Belgrade, with the Serbian and Russian flags sewn together. However, the main reason Vladimir Putin supports Serbia over Kosovo is to defend the interests of his national flagship. The Russian oil and gas giant Gazprom. As we travel the length and breadth of the country, we find that almost all of the country’s petrol stations belong to Gazprom. Fifteen years ago, Gazprom bought the Serbian National Energy company, NIS, at a bargain price. 500 million euros when NIS was valued at 2 billion. Darko Šper is one of the few Serbian journalists who investigated the takeover. According to him, Serbia made a deal with Putin. We give you, NIS, and you defend us at the U.N. with regard to the Kosovo issue. Both the government and the opposition, both the nationalists, the right-wingers, the left-wingers, and the center. Everyone expected the Russian company to be like this. Just so that the influence of Russia in the U.N. Security Council remains the same, they don’t allow Kosovo to be an independent state. They got all the oil deposits. The lowest ore rent in Europe was received by oil refinery in Novi Sad, oil refinery in Pančev, some petrol pumps that Gazprom now holds. So, they returned the money they invested in this company in a year of business. Gazprom, a multi-year and reliable partner of Serbia. As a result, not only does the Russian giant control all of Serbia’s oil production, but 85% of the country’s annual gas consumption as well. And lead to high achievements. Can we consider that Serbia has its hands tied because it is extremely dependent on Russian gas? Yes, Serbia has tied hands, and I can say that Serbia as a country, has not done anything specific to change the source of financing. That’s why we are the only country, except for Belarus, in Europe that has not yet imposed sanctions on Russia. Gazprom is also the partner of a festival founded by filmmaker Emi Kusturica and the fervent financial supporter of the Serbian Orthodox Church for renovating the St. Savra Basilica in Belgrade. Nenad Čanak is one of the rare Serbian political leaders who opposed Gazprom’s takeover of NIS in 2008. He is a Serbian opposition figure, pro-western and anti-Putin. To him, Gazprom’s power means that Russia can control any Serbian government. This is how they’re creating a network of food soldiers. So, when you have that in your mind, you see that. Russians are insisting that they want to have people inside of government in a position of a force. They want police, they want military, they want, if they can, foreign affairs. In September 2022, when Vladimir Putin threatened to use nuclear weapons, the Serbian foreign minister signed a cooperation agreement with his Russian colleague Sergej Lavrov. The European Union immediately warned Serbia that its membership process could come to a halt. East, West, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was forced to pick a side. You can put it this way. Vucic is between a rock and a hard place. Because if he… Turn Serbia towards West, Putin will kill him. Literally kill him? Literally. Either polonium in a tea, either novichok on a towel in a bathroom, or something like that. You’re really not kidding? I’m not kidding whatsoever. We tried to interview Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, but he never responded to our interview request. Not only does Russia have a stronghold over Serbia’s economy, but further south, it ensures its influence through a very powerful regional tool, the Serbian Orthodox Church. We headed in the direction of Montenegro, a small state of 620,000 inhabitants, which gained independence in 2006. On the 4th of September 2021, protesters blocked this road leading to Cetinje, the historical capital of Montenegro. Their aim was to prevent the passage of Metropolitan Porfiri, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He was due to enthrone the new Archbishop of Montenegro at the Cetinje Monastery. The protesters set up roadblocks and clashed with the police. Ana Pejovic is a member of a human rights NGO, Montenegro International. She was among the protesters. insults, humiliation. There were intellectuals, people of different faiths. There were not only Orthodox Montenegrins. We all defended the honor and the view of Montenegro. But in the last 7-8 years, we are experiencing a desperate invasion of the Serbian church, of the Serbian clergy, which, in my opinion, is a clerofascist clergy. By helicopter escorted by Serbian special forces in the middle of the sovereign territory of Montenegro. These pictures were taken by the Serbian clergy. In this photo, we can see a man in cargo, most probably a member of the Serbian Secret service. Earlier, through the monastery gates, demonstrators were able to film the arrival of men in civilian clothes. These were the paramilitaries. The churches are occupied by foreign paramilitary forces who are ready to carry out all the orders that come to them from the top of the religious system, but also from the Russian and Serbian agenates. The night wolves are also the most connected, it is the brotherhood that is most connected with the Russians. Here come Putin’s bikers without their leather. Some members of the Montenegrin Night Wolves, among other paramilitaries who have come to protect the monastery, the patriarch and the newly appointed archbishop will leave. As they came, by helicopter. In the summer of 2022, the Serbian Orthodox Church strengthened its power in Montenegro. It signed an agreement with the state, confirming its right of ownership over almost all of the country’s monasteries and churches. For opposing this, Ana Pejović received a death threat on the 3rd of August 2022 by two men in a car. He put a gun in my head. He put a gun in my head in the morning. He was talking about something, I didn’t understand what it was. The window was open. Of course, I felt the fear and the threat for my life. The car drove off again. Sneakily captured by the surveillance camera from a nearby pharmacy. A police investigation has been opened. When we left Ana, we requested an interview with the Serbian clergy. A priest was appointed to answer, but on the filming day, he was unreachable. We tried to find him in the chapel where he officiates, with our translator filming discreetly. Is the Priest here? Yes, he is in the building. He will be here soon. Can you come up here? I am sorry. I am fine. How are you? Thank you. Two brothers came here. One girl with cameras. They interviewed you in church. Or here in the office. What church? I think the concert is a bit unpleasant, and that’s the influence of Russia on the church. We have the opportunity to say that we are in a different position. We are somehow in a situation where we say anything. About a third of the population remain pro-Serbian and often pro-Russian. The Russians themselves are very present in the country, like here in the seaside resort of Budva on the Adriatic coast. Wealthy tourists. expatriates, businessmen and oligarchs close to the Kremlin own companies or villas here that real estate agencies sell at a high price. And yachts. A quarter of Montenegro’s GDP is supplied by Russians. But since the war in Ukraine, it’s been a depressing place. Lots of Russians are forbidden to come here because Montenegro is a member of NATO and voted for sanctions against Russia. But Vladimir Putin may have taken his revenge. In the late summer of 2022, Montenegro suffered a massive cyber attack, data theft and computer paralysis of the main ministries. As head of the Montenegrin Secret Service, Savokentera led the investigation to find the culprits. We met him at a conference organized by NATO in Budva. This palace is run by a Russian, a former president of the KGB, the secret services of the former president. .The. Former Soviet Union. Can you tell us who is behind this cyber attack? Let’s put it like this. Russian actors. I think this is the best way to describe the whole situation. At the moment, you have all evidence needed. Exactly. Since I was appointed a couple of months ago at this position, my goal was, you know, to get rid of the Russian spies in Montenegro, to stop the malign influence, Russian malign influence. In Montenegro, directly from Russia, directly from their proxies, just look at this coast. Just imagine to have a port, a Russian port in Montenegro, the only exit at the Adriatic Sea. And that was the goal. That was the goal from Russia, taking all infrastructure projects in Montenegro, the energy, the port, everything what we have, you know. And by that… Putting us in a totally, you know, dependent position on that. And I started working on that with my team, you know. So we get the results in a very short period of time. We discover a network of Russian spies, 35 actually of them. We discover a GRU spy who is a Montenegrin citizen here, working for 30 years for GRU, actually, before that for the KGB, you know. The result, Montenegro’s largest ever expulsion of Russian diplomats and suspected spies. It took place just a few days before this shooting. In Port Goycha, the Montenegrin capital, the Russian embassy was completely empty. It’s as ghostly as a holiday home in the depths of winter. The Russian ambassador to Montenegro, Vladislav Maslenikov, is alone inside with his deputy. Since the start of our trip to the Balkans, he’s the only Russian official who has agreed to talk to us. Montenegro has been hit by a strong cyber attack. And today, Montenegrin authorities confirmed to us that Russia was behind this cyber attack. What do you think of that? Can they provide the proof? That’s the main thing. Can they provide the proof? It’s very easy to say. And we heard this many times in all, you know, different countries. We heard about Russia getting involved also by some cyber manipulations into elections in the United States, which is total nonsense. Why Russia should do it? I’m sorry? To destabilize the pro-nato government. What’s the interest for us in it? I see no interest in interfering with the cyber attacks. And actually, we said, just after a couple of days, let’s say after the first… The ambassador, clearly worried that he isn’t following the Kremlin’s version word for word, reads us an official statement. I’m just quoting from the statement. That it’s still irresponsible accusations, which has no proof. Vladislav Maslenikov said No more. He scrupulously respected the official government line in every answer. When we finally asked him what Russia’s strategic objectives in the Balkans were, he quoted his leader once more. As our minister used to say at some point, point, I mean, Minister of Foreign Affairs, of course, Sergei Lavrov. Our interest in the region is peace and stability. And there is basically no sense in looking for any hidden agenda. Tucked away in his embassy, Vladislav Maslenikov fulfilled his role throughout the entirety of the interview. By flatly denying Russia’s role in the Balkans, a region whose fate… Partly depends on the outcome of the war in Ukraine, an explosive region in the heart of Europe.