The influence of the Russian Federation is projected in Bosnia and Herzegovina mostly through Milorad Dodik, the president of Republika Srpska, who supports separation of the autonomous region from the rest of the federation.[1] Dodik has exchanged several visits with Kremlin's officials—for instance, he met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow in 2016 and 2017. He has been supported by the Russian ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina and supported by Russian media channels.[2] The Russian state television channel Sputnik News operates in Belgrade, but also has a significant impact on ethnic Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[3]

Good relations have also been cultivated between the Kremlin and Dragan Covic, the Croat member of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the head of the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina. [4]

The Kremlin’s main objective in Bosnia and Herzegovina seems to be keeping the country out of NATO and the EU, and increasing the ethnic tensions within society. Public opinion in the country is in line with these objectives. According to a poll conducted by the International Republican Institute, only 18 percent of ethnic Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina support joining the EU.[5]

[1] https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/bosnia-herzegovina/2017-09-06/russias-bosnia-gambit 

[2] https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/07/bosnia-russian-interference-renewed-putin/ 
[3] http://www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_51729-544-2-30.pdf?180306092933 
[4] https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/bosnia-herzegovina/2017-09-06/russias-bosnia-gambit 
[5] http://www.iri.org/resource/american-interest-iri-expert-warns-rising-russian-influence-balkans