August the 5th, 2026 – On the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm, Croatian veteran Ivan Mikulić recalls the moments when he and his fellow soldiers realised that a major operation was about to begin – even before they knew its name.
Mikulić, a member of the 3rd Battalion of the 4th Guards Brigade, spoke about the days that changed the course of the war and the emotions surrounding Croatia’s advance toward Knin. At the time, soldiers on the ground had not been officially told that Operation Storm was beginning, but many sensed that something extremely significant was approaching.
“Our unit was in Donji Kazanci, on the Livno–Grahovo route. On August the 3rd, we were moved to Pržine, near Grahovo, to a peat factory. At that point, we concluded that an operation could begin in the morning, even though we knew nothing about Storm. But as soon as we were moved there, we knew we were going forward in the morning,” Mikulić recalled.
When artillery fire began around 05:00 on August the 4th, the uncertainty entirely disappeared. “There was a sense of anxiety and excitement among the soldiers. People had already heard that the operation was definitely starting. When the artillery barrage began, there was an explosion of sheer joy. Some even raised a toast,” he said.
The long Road to Knin
Mikulić also remembers the moment his unit entered Knin and moved toward the city’s famous fortress. The soldiers did not immediately enter the fortress area, as security positions had already been established ahead of them and some units encountered delays along the way. “We reached the fortress and stopped there. We sat down on the wall,” he recalled.
Soon, local residents began approaching the soldiers and offering them refreshments.
“The beer had already arrived, Karlovačko had already reached the fortress. However, it was no longer possible to actually enter the fortress,” Mikulić said. At that moment, the Croatian flag had not yet been raised on the fortress, but the approach had already been secured.
A Victory Marked by Sacrifice
Despite the intense heat and the expectation of heavy fighting, the battle in Knin did not unfold as many soldiers had anticipated.
“We expected a fight, but there wasn’t one because they had all fled. It was complete and utter chaos. There were civilians hanging around in the city itself as well, but overall everything went well,” Mikulić said. However, victory came with a heavy price. He noted that the 4th Guards Brigade lost four soldiers in Knin itself.
memories that will remain forever
Over three decades later, Mikulić says the memories of those days remain vivid and clear.
During the war, he served on many fronts, from Kruševo and Zadar to Dubrovnik and Mostar. “I lost many friends, and that cannot be forgotten. It really wasn’t that long ago,” he said. As Croatia remembers Operation Storm, stories from veterans like Mikulić serve as a reminder that behind the historic images of victory were the experiences, sacrifices, and personal memories of the people who lived through those defining moments.
Subscribe to our newsletter
the fields marked with * are required