, ▁including ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Old ▁Town — a ▁UN ES CO ▁World ▁Heritage ▁Site — cul min ated ▁on ▁ 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁The ▁bomb ard ment ▁prov oked ▁international ▁condem n ation , ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁public ▁relations ▁dis aster ▁for ▁Ser bia ▁and ▁Mont en eg ro , ▁contrib uting ▁to ▁their ▁diplom atic ▁and ▁economic ▁isol ation , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁international ▁recognition ▁of ▁Cro atia ' s ▁independence . ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁the ▁J NA ▁retre ated ▁to ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina , ▁less ▁than ▁ ▁from ▁the ▁coast ▁in ▁some ▁places , ▁and ▁handed ▁over ▁its ▁equipment ▁to ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁Army ▁of ▁Repub lika ▁Sr ps ka ▁( V RS ). ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁Army ▁( H V ) ▁attacked ▁from ▁the ▁west ▁and ▁pushed ▁back ▁the ▁J NA / V RS ▁from ▁the ▁areas ▁east ▁of ▁Dub rov nik , ▁both ▁in ▁Cro atia ▁and ▁in ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁May ▁linked ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁H V ▁unit ▁def ending ▁the ▁city . ▁Fight ing ▁between ▁the ▁H V ▁and ▁Y ug oslav ▁troops ▁east ▁of ▁Dub rov nik ▁gradually ▁died ▁down . ▁ ▁The ▁sie ge ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁death s ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 ▁Cro at ian ▁military ▁personnel , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ 8 2 – 8 8 ▁Cro at ian ▁civ ili ans .