on June 12, Russia Day, we always remember and vivid episode in the confrontation between Russia and NATO countries in Kosovo. 12 Jun 1999 rapid March of our paratroopers unexpectedly allowed for NATO troops to occupy the airport of Slatina. This was a key point in Yugoslavia — a country that by the time had just bombed a NATO air Armada of more than thousand aircraft.
All the details of the brave March in advance of the entry of NATO ground forces are still unknown. However, much have been clarified by interview of President Putin and my colleague Andrew Kondrashova. The head of state gave it specifically for the documentary RTR for the 30th anniversary of the new Russia. The film is still mounted, but the important snippet, we’ll show you.
this event made a feature film, only 20 years later – “the Balkan frontier.” Although this milestone was not just Balkan. Rapid and unexpected for the world March for Russian peacekeepers in Kosovo and the capture of the capital airport of Slatina was the line between our drunken love in the West and the disillusionment after NATO forces began bombing Yugoslavia in the spring of 1999. The goal is to tear Kosovo.
“thousands of victims, thousands of dead, tens of thousands wounded. Here was the building, the main building of the General staff of Serbia, but on the contrary – the building of the Ministry of defence. And that’s when the bomb was cruise missiles, which fell on top of the building. The people were here. People were in the buildings and around them. These lawns were the victims of these bombings,” — says Nenad Popovic, Minister of innovation and tejaswini.
the True policy of the West in those days was illustrated by Clinton. Milosevic asks Yeltsin to urgently supply him with the latest air defense system s-300. But Yeltsin’s failing, hoping that Clinton, a friend of bill, would suspend the bombing at the request of Moscow. Actually, this calls Yeltsin and Clinton. “It is important that the air raids had been suspended. Milosevic insists that we have delivered in Yugoslavia anti-aircraft s-300 system, but we don’t give him the system, you can be sure about that,” said Yeltsin. In short, Clinton continued to bomb, and Yeltsin handed over Yugoslavia.
And suddenly, our troops suddenly appear in Kosovo, not just Kosovo, and take control of the capital airport. He is the main military airport near Pristina. A few hours before he hoped to capture the forces of NATO. It was a lightning-fast March of the Russian battalion from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“the Russian army came to the airport of Slatina, where I was. Us, Serbian reserve soldiers, there were few. And we, of course, was delighted with the arrival of the Russians. We helped them,” recalls Zivorad Lazic, one of the former reservists of the Yugoslav people’s army.
“We immediately cordoned off the airport, put the posts. And was this even an episode when British tanks came to the post, the soldier with the rocket launcher was standing, and he said, “captain, allowed, post,” — said Georgy Shpak, the former commander of the Russian airborne troops, Colonel-General retired.
a British officer said that it was the British sector of responsibility. But when I was sent home for the third time, I decided to take Russian CAT power.
“He says, “Try it.” And gives the command to the soldier: “Private Ivanov, of the knee, the sight 7, under the tower, load.” The soldier kneels down, Doyle a grenade into the barrel and takes aim at the tank. The captain swore and wheeled around, got into a tank, turned around and left. I was later told that the Lieutenant-General, the Englishman who led the operation, refused to execute the orders about the capture of the airfield Siva. He said, “I’ll never be the culprit of the Third world war”. This is a true fact”, — said Georgy Shpak.
But how could this be? Who gave the order to take from under the nose of NATO’s key airport Kosovo? By whom was thisth the solution?
“How it was made, can tell. I was then Secretary of the security Council. To me came chief of the General staff, then — General Kvashnin. And he told me that there is such idea — to seize the airport. When asked why, he said, it is clear that we will have out when to leave, but will have something to bargain with. I know that he did not dare to negotiate with senior officials, including the Ministry of defence, but it was done,” — said Vladimir Putin.
In fact, Putin has become official, which, if not ordered, to order from his position he could not, then certainly blessed the idea of the chief of the General staff Kvashnin. Putin, to be clear, then, combined two posts — FSB Director and Secretary of the security Council. Yeltsin had already been looking for a successor.
In power then there was the paralysis of the will. Was paralyzed, and the system of decision-making. Total misalignment between politicians, diplomats and the military. At this moment there are people ready and able to take responsibility. General of the army Anatoly Kvashnin comes with a bold idea to take a Slatina, a key airstrip in Kosovo comes to Putin.
“he’s With me on this bill spoke and asked my opinion. And I said: if you think this is feasible, do that”, — said Vladimir Putin.
And we see that Putin is already on the example of Pristina, demonstrated how important will and determination in politics and how to play, not being in the deck, it would seem that no trump.
it So happened that in those hours when our Marines ran to the mouth of their armored vehicles for a daring throw to Pristina, arrived in Moscow the Deputy Secretary of state strobe Talbott.
“I arrived to the Kremlin on a meeting with Vladimir Putin, with Secretary of the security Council. I was amazed at how unobtrusive he feels withamoebidae and confidence. He looks very different from the country’s leadership — a short, skinny and physically fit. The other was taller than him, and most to fat. Putin radiated managerial competence, the ability to achieve results without fuss and unnecessary friction. He listened with attention as prudent as polite. I, like the rest, he gave to understand that to have done its homework and read my dossier from the intelligence services. On the one hand, it’s flattering (“I know you”). On the other, unnerving (“I know all about you”),” recalled Talbott.
“I’m sure that the bombing of 1999 were only a testing ground for to try these actions will occur in Serbia, to-morrow, may be, such action to start in Russia. I am sure that after the bombing of Serbia next they bomb you. I’m sure, — said Nenad Popovic.
– If we would not strictly have demonstrated a willingness to protect their interests outside of Russia, we could be the next target, do you think?
In politics there are no Givens. This did not happen, and thank God, — said Vladimir Putin.
did Not happen, thanks to our Armed forces and thanks to the people with such characters, who are allowed to make the roll Pristina. Kvashnin, by the way, in the fall of 1999, gets a Star of Hero of Russia.
it would Seem that the Pristina — local history, but as human beings explains a lot. That’s why Russia today is already completely different international status. And if someone in the West are afraid to admit it to myself, the President of France macron, one that is not shy to talk about the brain dead NATO explicitly States that the future of France and of all Western civilization depends on relations with Russia.
– There are people who want Russia to be strong and prosperous, want such a factor in the world, in world Affairs, the existencel like Russia. I believe that if Russia has not recovered, it didn’t take its worthy position in the world, the world would be a worse and more dangerous. There are many such people, — said Vladimir Putin.
Russia in the international arena feels more confident than ever before, including through its army and weapons.
How does a new Russian weapons, the world has already been shown in real combat conditions. And it is not Pristina for the sake of political victory is Syria — for the sake of saving entire civilizations from terrorism.
“When the Soviet Union ceased to exist, there has been a strong attempt to adapt the world to himself those who considered themselves victors in the cold war. Started, in fact, ignoring established international law, to reshape the world. It was clear, it is obvious that this transformation will be more painful for us, the weaker we will be. We really did a lot, — said Putin. And in the development of the nuclear defence sector we have approximate parity with the United States persists in the media, and the number of warheads, but still in our future developments we are certainly the leaders. This is the first. But traditional service of potential we don’t just upgrade, we are introducing new systems. And in this sense it is safe to say that by this measure we are today number one in the world. You asked me, but how was it possible to foresee how the situation will develop? And what it must have been difficult if the United States had announced that they come out of the anti-ballistic missile Treaty. So, we had, on this basis, to plan, to ensure the unconditional security of Russia. I always say and can repeat it, that the leading military powers of the world, of course, will have the same weapon, which is today Russia, I mean hypersonic weapons. But until 2018 so no one is a weapon appeared. It will come up. But I think that we CZhem pleasantly surprise our partners that when they have this weapon appears, we have, with high probability, you will see a tool fight with this weapon.”
– That is, will we learn these hypersonic missiles to shoot down?
Today, no one takes. Speed such that it is impossible to take them. This is the uniqueness of our current situation. Again, with high probability we have means of dealing with hypersonic weapons will appear by the time when the leading countries of the world will appear that the hypersonic weapons.
Text: “News of the week”
