The son of late Bosnian-Serb army commander Ratko Mladic expressed gratitude to Russia for supporting his father and the Serb people in general.

“As far as I understand, Russia’s position has been to defend the leading role of the United Nations. I am also grateful for the support to the general’s defense and for the broader support to the fight of Serbia and the Serb people to protect themselves and their sovereignty,” Darko Mladic said at a news conference in Belgrade on Friday.

The former general’s son also noted that Russia “has always tried to take a balanced and unbiased position” at the UN Security Council.