▁Republic ▁of ▁Y ug oslav ia , ▁the ▁V RS ▁controlled ▁approximately ▁ 6 0 ▁percent ▁of ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina . ▁The ▁extent ▁of ▁the ▁control ▁was ▁extended ▁to ▁about ▁ 7 0 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁ ▁P rel ude ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁the ▁AR Bi H ▁and ▁the ▁H VO ▁had ▁developed ▁into ▁better - organ ised ▁forces ▁employ ing ▁compar ably ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁art illery ▁pieces ▁and ▁good ▁def ensive ▁fort ifications . ▁The ▁V RS ▁was ▁not ▁capable ▁of ▁pen etr ating ▁their ▁def ences ▁even ▁where ▁its ▁forces ▁employed ▁sound ▁military ▁tact ics , ▁for ▁instance ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁O ra š je ▁in ▁May ▁and ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁After ▁re capt ure ▁of ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ser b ▁K raj ina ▁( the ▁Cro at ian ▁Ser b - control led ▁areas ▁of ▁Cro atia ) ▁in ▁Operation ▁Storm ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁the ▁H V ▁shift ed ▁its ▁focus ▁to ▁western ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina . ▁The ▁shift ▁was ▁motiv ated ▁by ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁security ▁zone ▁along ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁border , ▁establish ▁Cro atia ▁as ▁a ▁regional ▁power ▁and ▁gain ▁fav ours ▁with ▁the ▁West ▁by ▁forcing ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁Bos n ian ▁War . ▁The ▁government ▁of ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁Herz egov ina ▁wel com ed ▁the ▁move ▁as ▁it