▁republic ▁and ▁impos es ▁embargo , ▁as ▁a ▁measure ▁of ▁pressure ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁plan ▁of ▁Contact ▁Group . ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Cro atia ▁launch es ▁Operation ▁Flash ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 ▁days ▁enters ▁Western ▁S lav onia ▁UN PA ▁zone , ▁ret aking ▁the ▁territory . ▁The ▁ex od us ▁of ▁ 1 1 , 5 0 0 – 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁Ser bian ▁refuge es ▁follows . ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁S re br en ica ▁gen o cide ▁reported , ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁Bos nia ks ▁killed ▁by ▁units ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Repub lika ▁Sr ps ka ▁( V RS ) ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁General ▁Rat ko ▁M lad ić . ▁July ▁ 2 1 , ▁Operation ▁Mi racle ▁capt ures ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁V RS ▁soldiers . ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Cro atia ▁launch es ▁Operation ▁Storm ▁and ▁rec laim s ▁over ▁ 7 0 % ▁of ▁its ▁pre - war ▁territory , ▁entering ▁all ▁UN PA ▁zones ▁except ▁Eastern ▁S lav onia . ▁Although ▁it ▁effectively ▁ended ▁the ▁war ▁in ▁Cro atia ' s ▁favour , ▁it ▁also ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁ex od us ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁Ser bian ▁population ▁in ▁these ▁areas , ▁approximately ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁refuge es . ▁NAT O ▁dec ides ▁to ▁launch ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁air ▁strik es ▁on ▁Bos n ian ▁Ser b ▁art illery ▁and ▁other ▁military ▁targets ▁on ▁August ▁