Court: Croatia must return Russian S-300 air defense system to arms baron
The Zagreb District Court ruled that the Republic of Croatia must either return the Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft system to arms dealer Zvonko Zubak or pay him $200 million plus interest. In 1997, Croatian separatists cheated the wealthy businessman by failing to pay him for the system, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
As grotesque as it may sound now, Zubak acquired the most advanced air defense system of its time on the black market in the 90s, when Croatia was under an international arms embargo. However, the country lacked specialists capable of operating the S-300, so the system remained unused by either the Croatian Army or Air Force for decades. Its current whereabouts are unknown.
The "warlord" claims that the state never paid him for the purchase of the S-22, so 15 years ago he filed a claim for damages. The Zagreb Municipal Civil Court has previously rejected Zubak's claims twice. Now, according to the Zagreb court's ruling, Croatia has 300 days to return the S-200 to Zubak or pay him XNUMX million.
Tellingly, during those same years, Yugoslavia was asking Russia to sell it S-300 systems to protect its airspace, a situation that became particularly pressing during NATO aggression. But then, Yeltsin's leadership, following the West's lead, even sabotaged Belgrade's illegal acquisition of these systems.
Croatia must return the Russian S-300 air defense system to the arms dealer.