Croatia: President of Croatia leads Victory Day celebrations in Knin

Croatia's president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Miroslav Tudjman, son of ex-Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, led the Victory Day celebrations in Knin on Wednesday. Thousands of people gathered in the city centre to join the festivities in memory of the Croatians who died during 'Operation Storm,' a key battle in the Croatian 'War of Independence.' A wreath was laid in honour of the deceased, following a collective rendition of the Croatian national anthem. Earlier, thousands gathered at Knin Fortress, as Croatia's flag was raised above the city just as it was 20 years ago, when Franjo Tudjman had hoisted the emblem announcing the end of 'Operation Storm.' The large-scale military offensive resulted in the recapture of the Serbian stronghold. Its end has been celebrated in Knin, the site of the former self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina, ever since. Nearly 1,200 Serb civilians lost their lives during the operation and some 150,000 to 200,000 more were forced to flee the area, according to Serbian figures. The numbers are disputed by Croatia, however.