Bosnia's Political Unrest: A Nation on the Edge

Russia has sharply criticized a Bosnian court ruling that bars Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik from holding political office, a decision Moscow says threatens the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Bosnian election commission decided to remove Dodik following a court's decision to uphold a conviction sentencing him to a year in jail and barring him from politics for six years. Dodik, a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has impeded Bosnia's EU and NATO integration efforts.

Amid heightened tensions, Russia's embassy in Bosnia claims the court decision is a Western ploy, urging local authorities to defy external influence. As Bosnia faces its worst crisis since the 1992-95 war, the international community watches closely the potential impact on regional stability.

(With inputs from agencies.)