A Russian biker gang that counts the country's president Vladimir Putin as an honorary member is embarking on a controversial Balkan tour, despite two of its leaders being banned from Bosnia amid concern over Moscow's intentions in the region.
The Night Wolves plan to ride through Serbia and Bosnia on what organisers call a "pilgrimage" to study "the heritage of the Russian empire and Orthodoxy" and "popularise forgotten or little-known saints of the Orthodox world and search for places inextricably linked with Russian history".
Critics see the bikers as a leather-clad arm of Russia's propaganda machine, however, as Moscow tries to retain a foothold in Serbia and Bosnia's Serb-run Republika Srpska to counter European Union and Nato influence in the Balkans.
While Mr Putin has ridden with the Night Wolves and given a state award to its leader, Alexander "The Surgeon" Zaldostanov, the United States has sanctioned the group for its alleged role in Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Bosnian officials imposed entry bans this month on Mr Zaldostanov and Sasa Savic, leader of the Serbian Night Wolves, and suggested they were part of Bosnian Serb plans to stoke tension ahead of elections in October, which are likely to exacerbate the ethnic divisions that have crippled the country since its 1992-5 war.
‘Strong political messages’
Local media report that the Night Wolves intend to open an office in Republika Srpska, having forged links with nationalist Bosnian Serb president Milorad Dodik, who gave Mr Zaldostanov a medal of honour in January.
Bosnian security minister Dragan Mektic said last week that the Night Wolves were "no typical motorcycle club, they carry strong political messages . . . The [Republika Srpska] authorities want to give them legitimacy and use them in an election process."
He also expressed concern over the growing prominence of far-right groups in Republika Srpska and reports that some have trained in Russia.
“There are efforts to manipulate elections in different ways . . . lately through the organisation of special groups that exert a sort of physical pressure on (certain) citizens so that they feel endangered and do not come out to vote,” Mr Mektic told Reuters.
“This is especially practised by Republika Srpska authorities . . . They are trying to form a para-security structure under cover of a patriotic organisation to use it in a showdown with opponents.”
Before the Night Wolves’ tour, the US embassy in Sarajevo urged Bosnian authorities “to seriously understand all possible security threats”.
Mr Dodik vows to seek independence for Republika Srpska rather than allow deeper integration with Bosnia’s Muslim-Croat region, but he rejects allegations that he would destabilise the country if he faced election defeat.
Mr Savic, meanwhile, has threatened to sue Mr Mektic for besmirching the Night Wolves' reputation and Yevgeny Strogov, chairman of the Russian motor-tourism federation, complained that the aim of the "Russian Balkans" tour had been "twisted and the distorted propagandistically".
“Our main theme in these events is Orthodoxy, and we want more Russians to know about Serbia and other Orthodox countries, and for more Serbs, Montenegrins and other people of the Orthodox world to join us,” Mr Strogov told the Ria news agency.
