Mladić's body returns to Serbia with military honours

The body of former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladić, who died last week while serving a life sentence for genocide and war crimes, was returned to Serbia on Thursday and received with military honours, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from the European Union. Mladić, convicted in 2017 for orchestrating the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo, died in a UN detention facility in The Hague at the age of 84. A Serbian government plane transported his coffin, draped in the national flag, from The Hague to Belgrade. Serbian army soldiers carried the casket from the aircraft, which was met by Mladić's son, Darko, and Serbian Justice Minister Nenad Vujic. The body was taken to a military hospital in Belgrade for an autopsy. President Aleksandar Vučić confirmed the UN court released the remains to the family on Thursday afternoon. A military commemoration is planned for Saturday, with the funeral scheduled for Monday. President Vučić stated that tens of thousands of people are expected to attend, presenting a significant security challenge. He noted that many Serbs view Mladić as a hero despite his convictions.