As Russia gave to deceive itself in Kosovo14 years ago

14 years ago the Russian paratroopers by a prompt throw after 700-kilometer march seized the airfield in Pristina. Today this date in Russia almost wasn’t noticed. “It wasn’t noticed” in Belgrad where today look towards the West more and more. And here our paratroopers are remembered and loved in modest 18-thousand Uglevik. “Serbia is live while Russia lives”, the words from the same song executed by the Serbian girls became quintessence of this memory …

In January, 1996 the separate crew of airborne forces numbering 1500 people was directed for participation in peacekeeping operation of multinational forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the night of June 11, to January, 12, 1999 the battalion of the Russian paratroopers in some hours made a dashing throw from Bosnia to Kosovo, having captured strategically important object – Slatina airfield and having outstripped the tank columns of NATO armies. After that according to the resolution of U.N.O. Security Service No. 1244, on the basis of the decree of the President of Russia and according to the signed by the Ministers of Defence of the Russian Federation and the USA on June 18, 1999 in Helsinki “Coordinated points of the Russian participation in KFOR forces”, made the decision on the direction in Kosovo the military contingent of Air Forces of the Russian Federation numbering 3616 people.

Airborne forces of Russia in the territory of the former Yugoslavia together with NATO participated in carrying out of two peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo. In Bosnia and Herzegovina the paratroopers supervised the territory total area of 1750 sq.km. The general extent of the controlled line of separation of the parties was 75 km. Divisions took place in 3 basic areas (2 in the territory of the Serb Republic – Uglevik and Priboy, 1 in the territory of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Simin-Han).

Leaflet for the military personnel of Air Forces of Union Republic of Yugoslavia in KOSOVO, extending by NATO aircraft in March-June, 1999. The signature on an illustration: “Thousand bombs … obeying the will of the whole world, will continuously pour on your division”. Signature on the back: “Prevention of Air Forces of Union Republic of Yugoslavia: LEAVE KOSOVO! NATO uses the B-52 bombers armed with 225-kilogram bombs of MK-82against Air Forces of Union Republic of Yugoslavia divisions in KOSOVO and Metohija. One B-52 can bear to 50 such bombs! These planes will arrive until will stop your atrocities and won't expel you from KOSOVO and METOHIJA. If you want to survive and again to see the families, lay down the arms”.

At this time all population of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the Serb Republic, was exposed to active psychological influence from the West countries. These places became some kind of range for “running” of new information technologies and their further application by other regions of the world. Thousand American experts of psychological fight developed the work, creating mass media, connecting local TV channels and radio stations, organizing “talk-show”, extending leaflets, etc. Officers of psychological fight from the Russian crew resisted to this stream, creating other information background in the Serbian mass media, and often, by recognition of the Americans, won in these duels on air, screens and strips of newspapers.

With activization of operation on expression of Serbians from Kosovo except bombs, rockets and shells the leaflets with threats to bomb indefinitely poured on the Serbian armies and civil objects from air. Processing of consciousness of the military men and the population didn’t stop for a minute. It is possible to tell that on the Balkans the forces of NATO won in information sphere as the damage caused from air of the Yugoslavian army in Kosovo, was minimum.

Here the strategy, tactics were fulfilled in practice, the technique and ways of conducting information war was rolled.

Requirements of Moscow to include Russia in an operation format in Kosovo for the purpose of the termination of genocide of the Serbian population were ignored. In these conditions in the General Staff of Air Forces of the Russian Federation and a staff of airborne forces it was accepted the adventurous at first sight and risky decision – by advanced detachment of a separate paraborne battalion to make a seven hundred-kilometres battle march in the heart of Kosovo, having outstripped NATO divisions which begun advance on the Serbian territory, to seize military Slatina airfield and to provide disembarkation of the main forces of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. It is indicative that president Yeltsin didn't know about this plan whom will be reported on operation after its end. Such reserve justified itself for all 100% – at least, a westernized environment of the president of Russia appeared in full ignorance, without having managed to present him a situation in the necessary light for themselves and to break a throw of a landing battalion.

It looked like the picture from other life – flowers on armour, the Serbian girls kiss the Russian soldiers, rough triumph. The battalion of the Russian paratroopers took positions in Slatina airfield in Kosovo by a throw.

The commander of the Russian landing battalion who has moved forward then in Kosovo, the colonel Sergey Pavlov remembers in the interview “To a military review”:

- In May we finished the transfer of equipment to the summer period of operation. I approached to this question very seriously and rigidly asked from subordinates, placing emphasis on transfer quality. Finally it became the guarantor of success.

We were given only 8 hours for march preparation in 700 km! I don’t remember more rigid temporary framework, even in airborne forces. Can somebody repeat that we managed to do then? It is big question. I am not sure.

… Time came and our column started moving … When the battle-order was given, we understood that in an hour the whole world will get to know about us. Can you represent our feelings? How the country will belong to it which is kneeling? God forbid, there will be a failure … We weren't afraid for ourselves. There was a feeling of huge responsibility because the justification won't be then. How to look to people in the face – why didn't make, didn't execute? And always you are afraid for people. God forbid …
March took place without loss. People understood then that my severity yielded the fruits –all equipment worked perfectly during the march. The task was carried out. And after all they blamed me of excessive rigidity and insistence, said that it would be possible to behave more softly. The truth appeared on my party. Now I sleep peacefully, knowing that any mother, any wife doesn't damn me … We finished all without loss, a task carried out without clashes. Then I crossed and told: “Thank God, all are live”.

- At 1.00-1.30 a.m. we passed Pristina – all population is on streets. They detained us a little. When were in the country, the terrible call from Moscow sounded. Column was stopped. General Rybkin long spoke with someone by phone, then we convinced him that it is necessary to pass still six kilometres and to finish the task performance.

We had to occupy the till 5.00 a.m. By this time the divisions of the Serbian Air Forces had to leave it and English crew approach. We outstripped it on an hour and a half. Scouts reported that the divisions of the Kosovo Liberation Army come soon. We managed to take positions and were ready to fight. Took a runway, blocked it with the help of armoured troop-carriers, cleared of mines the main ways of approach, blocked the highway to Macedonia, equipped positions on perimeter. Entrenchments and caponiers for armoured machinery dug in rocky soil during three days.

… Through an hour and a half as we settled down, from one of posts reported that English investigation approached. British stopped in visibility limits and simply “were stunned”, having seen our paratroopers. The English general approached, spoke “Esperanto” - broken English. “Who are you? What are you doing here? We have to be here”, I’ve heard approximately such words. It was necessary to answer that they were late, that here there are the positions of the Russian landing. The general was led to a staff to our general. There weren’t collisions …

Our battalion was an advance department, the military formation which takes a boundary, a district site, the area and provides approach of the main forces. We had to provide disembarkation of our main forces to airfield. However, for a number of reasons the landing didn't land and the Russian peacekeeping contingent arrived some other way. The main thing that we managed – Russia took part in destiny of Kosovan Serbians. Originally it was enough not to allow genocide which was created there by Albanians. Our mission also consisted in it.

We saw what the Kosovo Liberation Army did. They burned down and blew up orthodox temples, cut out the Serbians. But didn’t go to airfield – they knew that will receive repulse. But repeatedly tried to get on dairy plant in Pristina, made provocations there. We took this territory under control, thereby many Serbians rescued from punishment. Albanians showed offensive gestures, captured Serbians, put a knife to a throat and tried to cut at our presence. But we had no right to open fire. Soldiers ran out, became a live board, dragged, took the people away. All this became under video cameras. Pure provocations …

It is well known what occurred then, but not to us to judge. In any case, I don't want to give political estimates. And it is very bitter for me as to the person …

Not only the victories won in fight or during carrying out such operations as this are necessary to military men. Victories which the politicians won't lose then or won't betray are necessary to military...

As the time showed which has passed from a legendary throw of the Russian paratroopers, all allies of Russia whom it threw, fell then into hands of "democratizator" and fans to argue about “human rights”, then it came to an end with parcels in the form of rockets, bombs and shells. Or, at least, “orange” and other “colour" revolutions as a result of which the proteges of the USA and the countries of NATO came to the power, who plunged the people into even big poverty or as it was in Georgia.

But it would be a big mistake to consider that the fault for Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, and now and Syria, lies only on the western countries.

Actually the big if not the decisive share of fault lies on those political forces of Russia which recklessly followed and some still follow in a waterway at the Western world.

Exactly thanks to them the Russian Federation lost the part of arms which still could serve as a limiting factor for fans to establish “no-fly zones” and under the guise of fight against “not democratic” lawful government to finance terrorists and to plunge the people into the abyss of civil wars.

The Russians shouldn't betray the allies. Otherwise everything comes to an end badly and for them and then for Russia.