Historic MiG-21 unveiled above Dubrovnik
- by croatiaweek
- in News
(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)
As part of the Dubrovnik Defenders’ Day commemorations this weekend, a MiG-21 memorial aircraft has been formally unveiled on Srđ, taking its place as a permanent exhibit in front of Fort Imperial.
The ceremony brought together retired Croatian Air Force MiG-21 pilots Brigadier General Zdenko Radulj, former commander of the 1st Fighter Squadron and the Pleso base, and Colonel Ivica Ivandić.
Both pilots took part in the historic 1992 Operation Tiger flight, when two supersonic aircraft soared above Srđ in a symbolic moment that marked the beginning of the liberation of southern Croatia.
The pair jointly unveiled the commemorative plaque beside the aircraft.
(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)
Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković highlighted the deep significance of the exhibit, calling the MiG-21 “a reminder of the courage, determination and sacrifice of those who defended Dubrovnik and Croatia”.
He added that it stands as “a lasting symbol of the historic moment when, for the first time in modern Croatian history, a supersonic aircraft flew over the summit of Srđ, signalling the start of the liberation of the Croatian south”.
(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)
Franković expressed particular pride in the presence of the pilots and their wartime commander, Lieutenant General Marijan Mareković, describing them as “living witnesses whose actions laid the foundations for the deblockade of Dubrovnik and the entire south”.
The City of Dubrovnik had earlier requested a decommissioned MiG-21 BIS from the Ministry of Defence to serve as a static exhibit for the Dubrovnik Homeland War Museum, ensuring a permanent tribute to the defenders and the liberation of the region.
(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)
During the ceremony, Mayor Franković also announced the launch of the long-awaited restoration of Fort Imperial, a landmark of the city’s defence during the Homeland War.
With legal proceedings now concluded in the city’s favour, he confirmed that €230,000 has been allocated in the 2026 budget for project documentation, the essential first step towards full restoration and revitalisation.
(Photo: Grad Dubrovnik)
“Our aim is for the fort to be accessible, safe and respectfully restored, a place of lasting memory and gratitude to those who defended Dubrovnik,” Franković said.
