Pristina Airport 1999

[dan_f]

Hey guys,

Does anyone have any information regarding the incident that took place at Pristina airport in 1999 when Russian paratroopers came in and seized the airport? I know there was a race as to who would take the airport first - what kind of troops did NATO have at its disposal for the job? There's not a lot of info about the operation on the net - would be nice to hear some stories about the lead up to the confrontation as well as the aftermath.

Thanks.

[Valkyries]

from wiki


Following the Kosovo War, from 12 to 26 June 1999 there was a brief but tense standoff between NATO and the Russian Kosovo Force (KFOR) in which Russian troops occupied the airport. After securing an agreement by which Russian forces would be integrated into peacekeeping duties, independent of NATO, Pristina Airport was reactivated as a military airport on 15 October 1999 and then started to operate international air transport to several European cities. During that period of time the Russian KFOR along with other NATO forces were in charge for security of the airport. Airport Pristina initially began its operations with 45 employees.[4]
10char

[JUNKHO]

MOD Royal may have some thoughts given the following post awhile back--


Pristina Airport.

Speaking as one of those that Clark tried to kill that day I wouldn't follow him to the heads...

[G-AWZT]

Clarke was, still is, and forever shall be a nut.

[sgt_G]

I hear Pristina airport was the whole reason behind the Styker...

[JBH22]

The Arrival of Russian Troops. Pristina, 1999



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsmOf7bCQLA


Pentagon: Russian presence at Pristina airport 'very minor



"The 200 (Russian) troops are a very minor part of what's happening in Kosovo today," said Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon.
"The main thing happening in Kosovo is that the Serbs are leaving and NATO is coming in, and soon the refugees will be able to come back," he said.
http://edition.cnn.com/US/9906/14/us.kosovo.04/

Confrontation over Pristina airport

Details of Russia's surprise occupation of Pristina airport at the end of the Kosovo war are revealed in a new BBC documentary on the conflict. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/671495.stm

[Royal]

Up to that point Kosovo was very much a NATO Op despite attempts to spin things with the UN (sound familiar?).

The Russians decided to call our bluff and offered to 'help' (and so stick a finger in NATO's eye and help out the Serbs).

Actually we needed Salvic troops there to help deal with the Serb population being ethnicly cleansed by the UCK/KLA on the back of the NATO move from the South.

Moscow ordered an airborne batallion that was working with SFOR in Bosnia to redeploy (on a land route via Serbia to Pristina). They stopped at Pristina Airport.

The conspiracy theorists say the Serbs had a load of Mig 29s or nukes or Nazi gold or some such hidden at the airport (hence that's where they went). Personally I think that's bollocks - we (NATO) were always going to use the airport as an HQ (rather than Film City) - and as the APOD it was strategic ground.

The first option, a UKSF tasking, went badly wrong and so Mike Jackson took the sensible option to let it be and treat the Russians as the valuable asset that they were. Wes Clark got all excited about finally getting into a real fight with the Ruskis and ordered us to get there first at all costs. Jacko told him to f**k off.

We all lived happily ever after.

[tea drinker]

http://www.blythe.org/nytransfer-subs/99eeu/nato-russia_standoff_at_Slatina_Airport,_Pristina_

07:40 Russia asked Bulgaria to provide free air passage to it's airplanes in
order to transport Russian troops to Kosovo.

03:05 Hungary and Ukraina refused to give free passage to Russian planes
which will be destined to bring Russian peacekeepers to Kosovo.


Rumour was the Russkies had planeloads of reinforcements sitting on the tarmac ready to go, but they didn't push them through unwelcome airspace. That was a further gamechanger.
^I remember Gen. Mike Jackson allegedly said to Clarke "I'm not going to start WWIII for you"

[intrinsic]

I was at Pristina Airport in the June, the Russians were moving a lot of stores out of the massive underground facility, not 100% sure what it was but it was heavily rumoured that it was chemicals for chem weapons.It was also strongly hinted that a number of the Russian contingent actually jumped in to seize the airport prior to NATO (British) forces moving in.The Russians were a ragged lot with very little ammo and even less food, they were often caught scavenging out of our bins.
An incident occurred between the Russians and the RAF Regt (2 Sqn) along with the Airfield Troop RE. The Station Commander was so Pissed off with the Russians constantly trying to block aid flights from Turkey, in a throw away comment, he said ' That's it , let retake this F**king airfield', unbeknown to him the station tannoy system was on, the two side came to a stalemate on opposite sides of the peri track.

Intrinsic

Per Ardua

[Royal]

It was also strongly hinted that a number of the Russian contingent actually jumped in to seize the airport prior to NATO (British) forces moving in.

Jumped in?! From what (and where)? The ammount of fast air around at the time made Picadilly Circus look quiet. I remember the II Sqn incident tho p-)

[Astaran]

Royal, with "real fight" you mean a possible real real fight with bullets and wounded and dead between Russian and NATO forces? I never heard anything close to that, so I am totally surprised and confused.

[Hast2]

I was at Pristina Airport in the June, the Russians were moving a lot of stores out of the massive underground facility, not 100% sure what it was but it was heavily rumoured that it was chemicals for chem weapons.It was also strongly hinted that a number of the Russian contingent actually jumped in to seize the airport prior to NATO (British) forces moving in.The Russians were a ragged lot with very little ammo and even less food, they were often caught scavenging out of our bins.
An incident occurred between the Russians and the RAF Regt (2 Sqn) along with the Airfield Troop RE. The Station Commander was so Pissed off with the Russians constantly trying to block aid flights from Turkey, in a throw away comment, he said ' That's it , let retake this F**king airfield', unbeknown to him the station tannoy system was on, the two side came to a stalemate on opposite sides of the peri track.

Intrinsic

Per Ardua

In the video above there's a mention about "long and difficult march of many kilometers". Also, we can see a non-droppable hardware, so no "jump". I guess a "starving" story isn't legit as well.

[Royal]

Royal, with "real fight" you mean a possible real real fight with bullets and wounded and dead between Russian and NATO forces?

That's what Clark was prepared to spark off. Yes.

[rgjbloke]

That's what Clark was prepared to spark off. Yes.

Now that! is pretty worrying. What the hell was Clark thinking? Thank Christ Jackson kept a sensible head on his shoulders.

[Astaran]

That's what Clark was prepared to spark off. Yes.

Jesus, I never knew about that. Glad to hear it turned out "well". Is there any specific/further literature available about this incident that you could recommend? I would like to start some research on this topic, because, well, it's totally new to me and it seems to be one of the less known "post-Cold-War"-Crisis.


Damn, I don't want to imagine what could had happened if this situation had escalated.

[Russianlynxy]

I bet this was a real hit on Clark's self esteem and pride as a general when he was told to shove it.

Anyways, an interesting operation it was. Lots of rumors around it of course, but in the end result it did not end up well for Serbia anyways.

[greendzflash]

Jesus, I never knew about that. Glad to hear it turned out "well". Is there any specific/further literature available about this incident that you could recommend? I would like to start some research on this topic, because, well, it's totally new to me and it seems to be one of the less known "post-Cold-War"-Crisis.


Damn, I don't want to imagine what could had happened if this situation had escalated.

well, it got a bit nervy later in the day.

started off with check points to clear the route for the NATO convoy to move up the Defile and also "watch" the serbs move out in good order. that changed at about 11 am local when we had to RV as a Coy group as we were the most complete company and the most forward of our BG. we moved in convoys of PinzGauers each laden with between 8-10 blokes and all manner of weapons ranging upto 50 cal (as blokes were taking 94mm AT rockets off the ones that werent going ) and headed off to the Airport. we stopped a few times on the way to have "parle"with the Russians. I remember vividly one such incident where i was sat on the pinz and infront of me was our Bde Commander and the Russian Officer. Needless to say the Russians body guard was paying attention to me and my L96!

just before we reached the outskirts of the airport someone had the idea that if we called up armour then we would be let in so we moved to the side of the road so a challendger could move up. I think that pXssed the russians off more and any hope of us getting onto the airfield that night disappeared. It started to Pxss down with rain as well. we got up to the Airfield and all i remember is we got onto the disperal areas as there was wreckage of military planes. couldnt get any further forward as our way was now blocked by BTR 80s and the such like.
take it from me. it did come close. good drills from everyone though and no one got nervy or itchy other wise it could have been carnage.

22.00 that night the Coy was pulled back to the town/village of Magura where we spent an interesting night. Us on oneside of the road and some Serb unit on the other. the next day we moved off and secured the HLS in Pristina City for the rest of the BG and never went near the airport again until we left at the end of our time there.

[PaulClift]

Thanks for the personal account. A book I once read, may have been 'midnight in some burning town' described the Brits as 'itching for a fight' or something along those lines. Always read such things with a pinch of salt though.

[matija]

yugoslavia was known for their underground facilities like Željava Air Base and Tito's nuclear fallout facility in the mountains of Bosnia, I heard that both the Russians and americans were rushing towards the airfield because they were anxious to exploit the technology which was in the underground facility at pristina airport.

[Astaran]

well, it got a bit nervy later in the day.

started off with check points to clear the route for the NATO convoy to move up the Defile and also "watch" the serbs move out in good order. that changed at about 11 am local when we had to RV as a Coy group as we were the most complete company and the most forward of our BG. we moved in convoys of PinzGauers each laden with between 8-10 blokes and all manner of weapons ranging upto 50 cal (as blokes were taking 94mm AT rockets off the ones that werent going ) and headed off to the Airport. we stopped a few times on the way to have "parle"with the Russians. I remember vividly one such incident where i was sat on the pinz and infront of me was our Bde Commander and the Russian Officer. Needless to say the Russians body guard was paying attention to me and my L96!

just before we reached the outskirts of the airport someone had the idea that if we called up armour then we would be let in so we moved to the side of the road so a challendger could move up. I think that pXssed the russians off more and any hope of us getting onto the airfield that night disappeared. It started to Pxss down with rain as well. we got up to the Airfield and all i remember is we got onto the disperal areas as there was wreckage of military planes. couldnt get any further forward as our way was now blocked by BTR 80s and the such like.
take it from me. it did come close. good drills from everyone though and no one got nervy or itchy other wise it could have been carnage.

22.00 that night the Coy was pulled back to the town/village of Magura where we spent an interesting night. Us on oneside of the road and some Serb unit on the other. the next day we moved off and secured the HLS in Pristina City for the rest of the BG and never went near the airport again until we left at the end of our time there.

Thank you for your personal account. Sounds like it was a very creepy and tense situation. Do you know if someone wrote a book or something like that about this incident or about the entire Kosovo "campaign" in which the incident is mentioned?

I can really understand that the Russian body guards got a bit nervous when they noticed a British sniper with a Long just in front of their CO. But they didn't point their rifles in your direction, did they?

[G-AWZT]

I bet this was a real hit on Clark's self esteem and pride as a general when he was told to shove it.

Anyways, an interesting operation it was. Lots of rumors around it of course, but in the end result it did not end up well for Serbia anyways.


I heard that most of Serbia's armed forces came out relatively unscathed when they pulled out, so much so it surprised Clarke.

[Mordoror]

so much so it surprised Clarke.well he had two months to self intoxicate himself (or rather to have Jamy Shea intoxicate him) with stuff like : "200 MBTs, 300 APCs and 500 artillery tubes as well as whole Mig29 and Mig21 fleet destroyed by uberefficient JDAM and GBU"
GW1 syndrome of allmighty airpower is what has hurt the 20s century western armies the most:roll:

[G-AWZT]

well he had two months to self intoxicate himself (or rather to have Jamy Shea intoxicate him) with stuff like : "200 MBTs, 300 APCs and 500 artillery tubes as well as whole Mig29 and Mig21 fleet destroyed by uberefficient JDAM and GBU"
GW1 syndrome of allmighty airpower is what has hurt the 20s century western armies the most:roll:


It must've been quite disconcerting then:) I hope Clarke threw a temper tantrum.

[ibstolidude]

somewhere I have a TON of pics of the Serb withdrawal. I'll try and post some. I need to dig up some old disks.

[Mr.K]

Please do, that would be an interesting thread.

[martinexsquaddie]

apprantly james blunt was there in his tinny whenny tank CVRT and the russians did blow it up another reason to hate the Russians.
I know 3 other squaddies would have died but considering the horror that was to come I guess they would have prepared to take one for all mankind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9LopyqdzIw
russia this is all your thought I'm hope your happy

[G-AWZT]

somewhere I have a TON of pics of the Serb withdrawal. I'll try and post some. I need to dig up some old disks.


I'd like to view them too.

Bombing telephone poles mounted on a wagon must've driven the NATO spokeman and Clarke a wee bit nutty.

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

yugoslavia was known for their underground facilities like Željava Air Base and Tito's nuclear fallout facility in the mountains of Bosnia, I heard that both the Russians and americans were rushing towards the airfield because they were anxious to exploit the technology which was in the underground facility at pristina airport.

Somehow I doubt Serbia had any technology worth exploiting that we didn't already have.

[greendzflash]

when i find some of my pics of Kosovo i will scan and post them.

[greendzflash]

Thank you for your personal account. Sounds like it was a very creepy and tense situation. Do you know if someone wrote a book or something like that about this incident or about the entire Kosovo "campaign" in which the incident is mentioned?

I can really understand that the Russian body guards got a bit nervous when they noticed a British sniper with a Long just in front of their CO. But they didn't point their rifles in your direction, did they?

the only book i know of (as ive got it!) is this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Cn5507-Special-Journal-Forces-Kosovo/dp/B002L4UUT4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278612820&sr=1-1

and to be honest its a bit glossy and mostly pics.

[malioni91]

I've heard from Albanians who served in the KLA that when the Russians came, they first mistook them for Serbian forces and there was a brief firefight between KLA and Russian forces in a bridge outside of Prishtina (I think that some Russians were wounded and a truck was destroyed). Then Russian special forces (don't know if Spetsnatz) went into the city and started arresting the major Albanian political figures present in the city (among them Adem Demaci). In addition they captured and detained for a few hours also Agim Ceku who then was the KLA's chief of staff. They lured him into a trap after saying that were sent by the UN as peace-keepers. Ceku was detained for a few hours inside of the airport and was later relased after pressure from NATO troops who surrounded the airport.

[YevgenyP]

I've heard from Albanians who served in the KLA that when the Russians came, they first mistook them for Serbian forces and there was a brief firefight between KLA and Russian forces in a bridge outside of Prishtina (I think that some Russians were wounded and a truck was destroyed). Then Russian special forces (don't know if Spetsnatz) went into the city and started arresting the major Albanian political figures present in the city (among them Adem Demaci). In addition they captured and detained for a few hours also Agim Ceku who then was the KLA's chief of staff. They lured him into a trap after saying that were sent by the UN as peace-keepers. Ceku was detained for a few hours inside of the airport and was later relased after pressure from NATO troops who surrounded the airport.

strange i hear such thing first time

[malioni91]

Not sure about the firefight (I had just a conversation with some friends of mine who took part in the fight). For the detention I'm sure cauze there were a bunch of articles in the Albanian newspapers. And for Ceku, his detention was like a "black mark" cauze everybody started to make fun of him for believing so fast the Russians while everybody knew that Russia supported Serbia.

[Royal]

I've heard from Albanians who served in the KLA that when the Russians came, they first mistook them for Serbian forces and there was a brief firefight between KLA and Russian forces in a bridge outside of Prishtina (I think that some Russians were wounded and a truck was destroyed). Then Russian special forces (don't know if Spetsnatz) went into the city and started arresting the major Albanian political figures present in the city (among them Adem Demaci). In addition they captured and detained for a few hours also Agim Ceku who then was the KLA's chief of staff. They lured him into a trap after saying that were sent by the UN as peace-keepers. Ceku was detained for a few hours inside of the airport and was later relased after pressure from NATO troops who surrounded the airport.

A bit less bollocks and a lot more fact please :)

[malioni91]

Well, here's an article link:
http://www.parajsa.com/dossier/17-dasvidanja.html [Albanian]

Sorry but I couldnt find it in English. I think that Google translate would do the job! :lol:

Im editing my post cauze I found another article dating back in 1999.

http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/sweden/111/Komente/I-Sadiki-Si-erdhen-forcat-ruse-ne-Kosove.htm

The article says that the Russians went in two ways. The first was an airdrop of a small contingent who secured the PA and then the bulk of forces came with a convoy.

In the article, an Albanian who had served as an officer in the Yugoslav army, says that in an underground bunker, the Serbs had stored big quantities of chemical gas which were there since the end of the cold-war.

[GottLuft]

I don't know why but I don't believe in story about firefight between KLA and Russian special forces...it sounds like some "****-and-bull" story.

[malioni91]

:-) i don't have any evidence to back it up myself. But this guy was a member of a unit called "The Black Tigers" which was a SF unit of the KLA and he told me that his team was on the hills overlooking Prishtina, to keep an eye on the Serbian retreat. Then they spotted two trucks and and a UAZ crossing a bridge that was a few hundred meters away. Before crossing, one of the trucks went over an anti-personnel mine and was damaged. At the same time the KLA attacked the rest of the convoy with sniper fire and RPGs. The guy told me that he saw two Russian (or Serbs?) falling in the ground. Then when they got back in their base (which was in the Drenica region) their CO told them that a Russian convoy was reportedly attacked and that 3 guys were wounded.

- This is what he told me. Again I don't have any evidence to back it up, even though here in Albania is widely known story.-

[Royal]

So he's a self-confessed war criminal who claims to have been to the east of Pristina (the airport is west of the city). The Russians came down the main route from southern Serbia via Mitrovica and Kosovo Polje - was it the Ibar bridge in Mitrovica that he was watching :roll: ??!

[malioni91]

There are hills west and south-west of the airport overlooking the runway. Those that dont' believe can check Google Earth. About the criminal thing: attacking a military convoy during war-time is not a criminal act as far as I know.

[Dukagjin]

So he's a self-confessed war criminal who claims to have been to the east of Pristina (the airport is west of the city). The Russians came down the main route from southern Serbia via Mitrovica and Kosovo Polje - was it the Ibar bridge in Mitrovica that he was watching :roll: ??!

could it be that you are you a serb ? that would explain your views ...

[Royal]

There are hills west and south-west of the airport overlooking the runway. Those that dont' believe can check Google Earth. About the criminal thing: attacking a military convoy during war-time is not a criminal act as far as I know.

If he was west or south west of Pristina then he was even less likely to see them coming from the north.

A. it wasn't war time
B. I wasn't referring to the alleged attack on the (non-existent) Russian convoy


could it be that you are you a serb ? that would explain your views ...

Goodbye.

[greendzflash]

=malioni91;5062092
The article says that the Russians went in two ways. The first was an airdrop of a small contingent who secured the PA and then the bulk of forces came with a convoy.

russian para drop....nah dont think so.

KLA SF? are we talking about the UCK here? lets keep it real then and as i remember them they were really....how you say.... special.........

from wiki about KLA:
The KLA was regarded by the US as a terrorist group (http://www.militaryphotos.net/wiki/Terrorist_organization) until 1998 when it was de-listed,[8] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-gri-7)[9] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-reveron_68-8) and then the UK and the US lobbied France to do the same.[10] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-reveron_82-9) The US then cultivated diplomatic relationships with the KLA leaders.[9] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-reveron_68-8)[11] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-republican-10) In 1999 the KLA was officially disbanded and their members entered other terrorist groups such as various Albanian Macedonian rebels[12] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-11), the UCPMB (http://www.militaryphotos.net/wiki/UCPMB) in the Preševo Valley (http://www.militaryphotos.net/wiki/Pre%C5%A1evo_Valley) region[2] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-Kosovo_one_year_on-1) and UNMIK instituted NGOs within Kosovo such as the Kosovo Protection Corps (http://www.militaryphotos.net/wiki/Kosovo_Protection_Corps) (in accordance with UNSC resolution 1244 which required the establishment of a civilian emergency protection body to replace the former KLA) and Kosovo Police Force[13] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-ReferenceA-12). Some of the Kosovo Liberation Army leadership opted to enter politics, and by taking advantage of the 1999 confusion they still lead the Albanian faction of the partially recognized Kosovar government.[13] (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/#cite_note-ReferenceA-12)


and as for Royal being a serb.......ROTFLMAO!!!

[CaptMorgan68]

I don't know why but I don't believe in story about firefight between KLA and Russian special forces...it sounds like some "****-and-bull" story.

KLA being a capable fighting force? in their dreams)

[B_706K]

This thread has been an interesting read, thanks for the contributions!

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

A para drop to seize airports prior to the arrival of ground forces would have been standard doctrine for the Russians (Afghanistan, Czechoslovakia, Hungary are examples). But likely not in airspace as closely watched as Kosovo airspace was at that time.

[ibstolidude]

I'd like to view them too.

Bombing telephone poles mounted on a wagon must've driven the NATO spokeman and Clarke a wee bit nutty.

True - there were some excellent tactical ruses, but that wasn't all that got bombed.
Not to be too harsh, but that must have been a huge comfort - I'm sure they must have been chuckling on the inside as they left their own nation's lands to be occupied by foreign armies - because they sure were not happy on the outside.

Don't kid your self or anyone else - they left & NATO came in.

[G-AWZT]

True - there were some excellent tactical ruses, but that wasn't all that got bombed.
Not to be too harsh, but that must have been a huge comfort - I'm sure they must have been chuckling on the inside as they left their own nation's lands to be occupied by foreign armies - because they sure were not happy on the outside.

Don't kid your self or anyone else - they left & NATO came in.


Well you can imagine being told to leave a county or state in your country, then get bombed, demonized, and have foreign armed forces aid the other side against you. Yeah it would make me piss vinegar.

In all the years I visited the former Yugoslavia, the only military alliance I thought would ever bomb Belgrade was the Warsaw Pact. It was a tragedy that NATO did it in the end.

[ibstolidude]

Well you can imagine being told to leave a county or state in your country, then get bombed, demonized, and have foreign armed forces aid the other side against you. Yeah it would make me piss vinegar.

In all the years I visited the former Yugoslavia, the only military alliance I thought would ever bomb Belgrade was the Warsaw Pact. It was a tragedy that NATO did it in the end.

I offer that many would agree. That, however, can be debated by forum members until the thread delves into a cess-pitt.

_______________

And to make certain to anyone looking to pick a fight... my comments are not intended to make light of tragedies that befell any party to the conflict - only to make clear that whether it was 25 of 1000 sorties that struck junk or 250; at the end of the day, NATO occupied.

[greendzflash]

Megaraptor;5062964']A para drop to seize airports prior to the arrival of ground forces would have been standard doctrine for the Russians (Afghanistan, Czechoslovakia, Hungary are examples). But likely not in airspace as closely watched as Kosovo airspace was at that time.

it can also be argued that it is standard doctrine "of a type" for most modern armies.

but it defo didnt happen.... i think we would have moved a lot quicker and i would remember something like that if i was imformed about it.

[greendzflash]

The Arrival of Russian Troops. Pristina, 1999


at 4.20 mins see the guy in the MUP uniform....


no wonder he's happy that the russians were now in Pristina

[malioni91]

[QUOTE=greendzflash;5062855]russian para drop....nah dont think so.

KLA SF? are we talking about the UCK here? lets keep it real then and as i remember them they were really....how you say.... special.........

Man don't start with insults. Maybe the ones that u saw could have been as u say, but there were 20,000 UCK members and surely u haven't met anyone of them. About KLA special forces... here's one of them. Read the biography and then tell me if he was "special" or not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bekim_Berisha

About the KLA being a terrorist group... man. Tony Blair was yesterday in Kosovo and again praised the KLA for its war.

P.S. The SF guy that I was referring, is an Albanian-American living in NY. Currently he's serving with the USA 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan. Just for info...

[greendzflash]

QUOTE: malioni91

KLA SF? are we talking about the UCK here? lets keep it real then and as i remember them they were really....how you say.... special.........

Not insults, first hand seen facts. yes, i can speak from actual experience (ie seen with my own eyes, not told to me)....can you? there were probably a lot of good men and women in the UCK, but my experience is shaded by what i saw, 1st hand.

here's one of them. Read the biography and then tell me if he was "special" or not.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bekim_Berisha

that bio is one sided....it is a disputed one as there are no references...read the top of that wiki page, wiki even states that and you can tell by the way the page is phrased/written. That said, being an ex Army Col. he would have had something about him.

About the KLA being a terrorist group... man. Tony Blair was yesterday in Kosovo and again praised the KLA for its war.

they were called a terrorist group until they were recognised. again, read the wiki page! and btw this is Tony Blair your talking about........ ;)

P.S. The SF guy that I was referring, is an Albanian-American living in NY. Currently he's serving with the USA 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan. Just for info...

Great for him, glad he has become...as you say, special.......

[ibstolidude]

Don't be be the one to draw "special" attention to yourselves.

This thread will not delve any further into the topic of who are terrorists & who are special.
It is not relevant to the thread at hand & offers nothing to further the discussion.

love,
the management.

[greendzflash]

Don't be be the one to draw "special" attention to yourselves.

This thread will not delve any further into the topic of who are terrorists & who are special.
It is not relevant to the thread at hand & offers nothing to further the discussion.

love,
the management.

agreed.

i did have an inkling last night that this was being drawn off topic.

apologies if i assisted, wasnt my intention.

regards,
GDZF

ON TOPIC,

the rumour of a Russian Para insertion is completely wrong....

Having been stood to and stood down on more than one occasion the day before, which led to us sitting for hours in the baking heat in a very dry corn field behind our chalks Chinooks and Pumas with the engines at start up (not much of a fire risk i can tell you!!) for hours on end, i think we would have moved a lot quicker and the Op to hold the defile would have been swapped for something else.

Plus all the political conertations that a Para insertion would have led to.

[California Joe]

It's always brilliant to have a thread where a bunch of people, that were actually there, relate their actual experiences, about an actual incident.....so that retards can argue with them.

Never fails to amaze.

[Vince S]

It's always brilliant to have a thread where a bunch of people, that were actually there, relate their actual experiences, about an actual incident.....so that retards can argue with them.

Never fails to amaze.

Also that a Balkan thread hasn't been derailed by insertcountry-strong crew.

Great thread. Learned alot gents

[Sousuke]

Also that a Balkan thread hasn't been derailed by insertcountry-strong crew.

Great thread. Learned alot gents

Don't paint the devil to the the wall xD

Anywho, thanks for the contribution guys, great read :) And Royal - thanks for banning dukagjin, he was trollin' his ass off in every Serbian/Kosovo related thread. Glad to see him finally gone.

[dan_f]

just before we reached the outskirts of the airport someone had the idea that if we called up armour then we would be let in so we moved to the side of the road so a challendger could move up. I think that pXssed the russians off more and any hope of us getting onto the airfield that night disappeared.


I found a Russian youtube video about this incident - is that your tank at the 0:42 mark? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5UeEMHNpvA#t=0m42s

[greendzflash]

I found a Russian youtube video about this incident - is that your tank at the 0:42 mark? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5UeEMHNpvA#t=0m42s

could be,

i was a bit further back on a pinz.

3.08 that would be Gen Jackson probably a couple of days later.

[Royal]

3.08 that would be Gen Jackson probably a couple of days later.

Gen Jackson was there on the evening of the 12th - IIRC it was pissing with rain (not viewed the vid as I can't get youtube up at the mo).

[YevgenyP]

i recall a vid about stand in Prishtina between Russian and Nato troops - anybody got a link?

[Mr.K]

I recall it too, and i saw it on CBC so it shouldn't be too hard to find ( I hope).
(Unless of course the Ministry of Truth ordered all the networks to burn the copies of that vid)

[Russianlynxy]

I recall it too, and i saw it on CBC so it shouldn't be too hard to find ( I hope).
(Unless of course the Ministry of Truth ordered all the networks to burn the copies of that vid)

armed encounter?

[Mr.K]

Not really

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5UeEMHNpvA&feature=related

I found the vid i was looking for, at 0:40 a NATO tank is halted by the russians. Brits and Russians talking around 3:08.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjBlzvZmmUU&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGdIscaqG5Q&feature=related 5:18 , Brits being blocked by a BTR

[REDCO_R.NEGRO]

None could indicate some literature about the event, yet?

Sad :(



But greendzflash, thanks for sharing your personal experiences, great topic, great images!
I just heard something about it, now i know something more or less concrete. Thx.

[Andy-M]

None could indicate some literature about the event, yet?


General Mike Jackson's autobiography has quite a bit on it.

[BF1]

I was there in June '99. The Russians made it to the airfield and were so ill-prepared, within days we had to provide them with pallets of rations and water.

[Mr.K]

I was there in June '99. The Russians made it to the airfield and were so ill-prepared, within days we had to provide them with pallets of rations and water.

Please tell us more.

[JCR]

Pretty logical as Hungary (due to NATO pressure) was blocking the overflight of Il-76s to resupply them.
This was a raid, they traveled lightly so they ran out of supplies.

But I second that the failure to somehow kill or at least incapacitate Capt. James Blunt is a stain on Russia's honour ;)

[Mr.K]

Pretty logical as Hungary (due to NATO pressure) was blocking the overflight of Il-76s to resupply them.
This was a raid, they traveled lightly so they ran out of supplies.

Ukraine too, if I recall correctly.

[Hyde]

Romania and Bulgaria blocked overflight as well I think, as they wanted to join NATO or were already candidates at that time.

[BF1]

Please tell us more.
It was really a rather simple choice to make. The land routes into Kosovo at that time were a complete goat-screw so we needed the airport operational ASAP. There was no sense in starting a scrap with the Russians and postpone the use of the airport so we decided the carrot was better than the stick. In the end, supplying the Russians was the right call as it improved local cooperation to get the airport open, brought a pro-Serbian force into the coalition, and may have helped ease some of the East-West tension that the whole Kosovo operation had started in the first place.

[G-AWZT]

It was really a rather simple choice to make. The land routes into Kosovo at that time were a complete goat-screw so we needed the airport operational ASAP. There was no sense in starting a scrap with the Russians and postpone the use of the airport so we decided the carrot was better than the stick. In the end, supplying the Russians was the right call as it improved local cooperation to get the airport open, brought a pro-Serbian force into the coalition, and may have helped ease some of the East-West tension that the whole Kosovo operation had started in the first place.



Clarke thought different. Fortunately you guys were level headed unlike our idiot general.

[Lokos]

KLA being a capable fighting force? in their dreams)

... Some were [capable]. Many weren't. You must understand, the KLA was made up of large numbers of people - a number of whom had formal military training.

Very interesting reading, in this thread.

L.

[malioni91]

... Some were [capable]. Many weren't. You must understand, the KLA was made up of large numbers of people - a number of whom had formal military training.

Very interesting reading, in this thread.

L.

Thanks, Lokos for confirming my words. Btw, under which unit did you serve in Kosovo?

[Lokos]

A few different ones. I was part of an inorganic reconnaissance detachment normally subordinated to regional HQ. Spent a lot of time with the Timok TF.

What a truly long time ago that was.

L.

[ibstolidude]

A few different ones. I was part of an inorganic reconnaissance detachment normally subordinated to regional HQ. Spent a lot of time with the Timok TF.

What a truly long time ago that was.

L.
23rd & 35th Light Infantry?

[Lokos]

More so the motorized units. But we were billeted three hundred meters from a company of the 23rd, at one point. The light infantry was not easily committed to offensive action. We were, how do you put it, 'casualty sensitive'.

It's amazing, but when I think back to it, none of it is that vivid, anymore...

L.