th ▁and ▁ 1 1 6 th ▁Infantry ▁Brig ades ▁and ▁reaching ▁the ▁out sk ir ts ▁of ▁St on ▁by ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁capabilities ▁of ▁the ▁H V ▁increased ▁dram atically ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁few ▁months ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁because ▁it ▁acquired ▁large ▁stock p iles ▁of ▁J NA ' s ▁weapons ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Bar ra cks . ▁After ▁the ▁J NA ▁dis eng aged ▁in ▁Cro atia , ▁its ▁personnel ▁prepared ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁new ▁Bos n ian ▁Ser b ▁army , ▁later ▁renamed ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Repub lika ▁Sr ps ka ▁( V RS ). ▁The ▁move ▁followed ▁the ▁Bos n ian ▁Ser b ▁declaration ▁of ▁the ▁Ser bian ▁Republic ▁of ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina ▁on ▁ 9 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 9 ▁February – 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁refer endum ▁on ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina ' s ▁independence . ▁The ▁refer endum ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁c ited ▁as ▁a ▁pre text ▁for ▁the ▁Bos n ian ▁War , ▁which ▁comm enced ▁in ▁early ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁when ▁the ▁V RS ' s ▁art illery ▁began ▁shell ing ▁Sar aje vo . ▁The ▁J NA ▁and ▁the ▁V RS ▁in ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina ▁were ▁confront ed ▁by ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina ▁and ▁the ▁Cro at