▁in ability ▁of ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁Police ▁to ▁co pe ▁with ▁the ▁situation ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁National ▁Guard ▁( Z NG ) ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁However , ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁Z NG ▁into ▁a ▁military ▁force ▁was ▁ham per ed ▁by ▁a ▁UN ▁arms ▁embargo , ▁introduced ▁in ▁September , ▁while ▁the ▁military ▁conflict ▁in ▁Cro atia ▁continued ▁to ▁es cal ate — the ▁Battle ▁of ▁V uk ov ar ▁started ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁August . ▁ ▁P rel ude ▁ ▁An ▁already ▁t ense ▁situation ▁in ▁the ▁L ika ▁region , ▁following ▁ 1 ▁April ▁Pl it vice ▁L akes ▁incident ▁when ▁the ▁first ▁fatal ities ▁of ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁occurred , ▁d eter ior ated ▁further ▁in ▁June ▁when ▁Cro atia ▁re aff ir med ▁its ▁so vere ig nt y ▁through ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁declaration . ▁This ▁was ▁reflected ▁in ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁violent ▁inc idents , ▁setting ▁up ▁of ▁una ut hor ized ▁road ▁check points ▁and ▁occas ional ▁ex changes ▁of ▁small ▁arms ▁fire . ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁June , ▁three ▁polic emen ▁were ▁ab duct ed ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁between ▁G os pi ć ▁and ▁SA O ▁K raj ina - control led ▁Gra č ac , ▁and ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁attacks ▁on ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁police ▁occurred ▁in ▁various ▁parts ▁of ▁L ika , ▁including ▁G os pi ć , ▁on ▁ 2 7 –