Putin revealed the nuances of the capture of the airport in Kosovo by the Russian army in 1999

14 2020 June 18

Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed in the program “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin "nuances of the capture of the airport near Pristina by the Russian army in 1999. At that time, Putin was Secretary of the Security Council of Russia.

Then, on the night of June 11-12, 1999, Russian paratroopers made a march from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Kosovo and Metohija, took control of the Slatina airport (now Pristina International Airport), where NATO troops were supposed to land. Putin recalled how he took part in deciding on this operation and supported it. At the same time, the head of state shared the details.

How it was taken, I can say. I was then secretary of the Security Council. The chief of the General Staff, then General Anatoly Kvashnin, came to me, and he told me that there was such an idea - to capture this airport. To the question “Why?” he replied that it was clear that we would have to leave once, but there would be something to bargain with

- Putin specified.

Putin said that Kvashnin did not dare to coordinate the operation with the country's top military-political leadership, including the Ministry of Defense, however, he made a march to Pristina and took the airport. The general came to the head of the Security Council and was interested in his opinion, and after approval he gave the order.

And I said so to him: “If you consider it appropriate, then do it”

- Putin explained.

We remind you that the mentioned airport was needed by NATO for the invasion of Kosovo and Metohija, from where the army of Yugoslavia had already left. The special operation of the battalion of Russian paratroopers violated NATO plans, so much so that the "peace-loving" Alliance even talked about the possibility of a conflict with Russia.

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Bakht

0

14 June 2020 17: 49

Mania of greatness has affected Putin.
Truly, "the COMPLETENESS complex is incurable."
Sergey Latyshev

-1

14 June 2020 19: 00

Occupied an empty airport. Then they left. NATO invaded anyway. Then they shot a movie.
NATO triumphed in Yugoslavia. Actors won the film.
Outcome: The elites "bargained".
alexandrmakedo

+3

14 June 2020 19: 45

The airport seizure THEN worked just like caliber firing recently.
Russia then took the first steps to restore political prestige and weight.
1. Binder
  
  -2
  
  14 June 2020 20: 38
  
  Quote: aleksandrmakedo
  The airport seizure THEN worked just like caliber firing recently.
  
  The effectiveness of the use of "Caliber" in the former. Syria was close to zero, and so was the result of the capture of the airport in Pristina.
alexandrmakedo

+6

14 June 2020 21: 33

Quote: Bindyuzhnik
Quote: aleksandrmakedo
The airport seizure THEN worked just like caliber firing recently.

The effectiveness of the use of "Caliber" in the former. Syria was close to zero, and so was the result of the capture of the airport in Pristina.

Even if a part, and not all, has reached the target, this fact is valuable in itself.
The French immediately dragged their aircraft carrier away from sin. And they began to talk with Russia in a different tone.
1. monman
  
  -2
  
  15 June 2020 15: 30
  
  And they began to talk with Russia in a different tone.
  
  The sound tone and tone of the headlines of the sponsored Russian media are, as they say in Odessa, "2 big or 4 small differences."
  They correctly removed their aircraft carrier - not all Caliber controlled, could hurt.
The comment was deleted.
monman

-2

15 June 2020 15: 45

The general came to the head of the Security Council and was interested in his opinion, and after approval he gave the order.

But the order did not say a word about HOW a logistic detachment would be carried out, after capture.
But Putin was embarrassed to ask, or, as always, maybe - who will feed the Russian landing force while he is sitting there? I’ll tell you a military secret - the British fed, who later complained to the Amers about “Russian upstarts, which also have to be fed!”
1. Bakht
  
  +1
  
  15 June 2020 17: 10
  
  It is not true.
  1. monman
    
    -1
    
    15 June 2020 20: 31
    
    From Wiki (English lane. Google):
    
    At 5:00 a.m. on June 12, the British 5th Airborne Brigade began flying to Kosovo from Skopje to secure ten miles of Kachanik Gorge for the 4th Armored Brigade to go to Pristina. From there, the leading reconnaissance squad in the race to Pristina was commanded by British officer Captain James Blunt. The first NATO troops to enter Pristina on June 12, 1999 were the Norwegian special forces from the FSK Forsvarets Spesialkommando and the 22 SAS soldiers of the British Special Air Force, although, to NATO’s diplomatic embarrassment, the Russian troops were the first to arrive at the airport. Norwegian FSK Forsvarets Spesialkommando soldiers were the first to contact the Russian forces at the airport and report the events to Mike Jackson.
    “Jackson took off by helicopter to Pristina in the evening to hold a press conference, and then went to meet with two-star general Viktor Zavarzin, who commanded a small Russian force. According to other sources, there was another man named “Colonel Baranov,” who was actually the real commander of the special forces unit controlling the air base and the entire mission. The mysterious man (all the time wearing a mask), also known by his code name (s), Wolfhound or Cain, was a senior Russian GRU officer who was repeatedly observed during Russian missions with the highest priority throughout the world, although his real identity remains unknown. Hiding from heavy rain in the ruined airport terminal, Jackson shared a bottle of whiskey with Zavarzin, which led to a warming relationship, although the "Colonel Baranov" categorically refused to participate in the conversation.
    
    In short, from Wiki, but in my own words, because great text.
    Fearing the arrival of a large number of Russian troops on the IL-76, Jackson ordered to block the lane. The weather conditions were very bad and in any case the planes could not take off from neighboring Russian bases. Bidding began, lasting a couple of days and freed the strip, but the United States put pressure on Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and they did not let Russian planes pass through their zones. The Russian landing party had to leave Pristina, because they didn’t wait for their kitchen, but tired of eating English dry rations ....
    1. Bakht
      
      +2
      
      15 June 2020 20: 44
      
      Didn’t you bother to look at the Russian resource? For example, the records of the battalion commander. Or Yevkurov (he was then a major).
      It is known that food was established. The bathhouse also worked. The British used a Russian bath.
      
      PAVLOV Sergey Evgenievich
      Colonel, commander of the peacekeeping battalion of Russian troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Yugoslavia). In 1999, his battalion, after a secretive march through Yugoslavia, seized the Slatina airfield in Kosovo.
      He was awarded the Order of Courage, medals.
      
      And we did our job: studied the airfield, organized a security and defense system. During the first two or three days we have already thoroughly settled down, even equipped a bathhouse. The airport building was dilapidated, huge holes gaped in the roof, wires stuck everywhere, piles of broken glass and concrete beneath his feet. But over all this, two flags proudly flied - the Russian and the Airborne. And it obliged us and gave us strength. And we worked. All day long. And they were waiting for reinforcements.
      ------
      Nikolay Staskov
      In 1999 - Chief of Staff of the Airborne Forces
      
      Regarding some problems with the supply, this is speculation. They are born, overgrown with rumors. No, there were no problems. And the population treated us well, it helped. No one suggested dividing the airfield in exchange for provisions, as some write about it.
      ------
      Leonid Ivashov
      In 1999 he was the head of the Main Directorate of International Military Cooperation of the Ministry of Defense of Russia; during the operation, he convinced the head of the column, General Viktor Zavarzin, to continue moving to Pristina, despite the order of the head of the General Staff to turn back.
      
      Here it is better to recall how NATO officers and even generals stood in line at the Russian bathhouse, which literally a few days later our guys cut down. These are paratroopers. They can do everything, they can. Moreover, they adapted to these Balkan conditions, performing a combat mission in the Uglevik garrison in Bosnia and Herzegovina. So they all knew very well. And then, that same summer was. Serbian citizens carried vegetables and fruits. But they did not penetrate the object. All this was well organized, the rear service operated - what can be taken, what can not. And then we, the Main Directorate of International Military Cooperation, organized our Russian rear - through Thessaloniki, through Greece. Ammunition, clothing supplies, and food were constantly going there. The Greeks in Thessaloniki also welcomed us great.
      1. monman
        
        -1
        
        15 June 2020 22: 55
        
        Didn’t you bother to look at the Russian resource?
        
        I stopped watching Russian resources after the adoption of the law on “distortion of history” and the last landing, if this happens. The fact is that to remake history to the best “image” of Russia in the eyes of the whole world was done by the CPSU, and after the CPSU - Putin.
        Therefore, I'm sorry - there is no trust in Russian sources.
        
        Bakht
        
        +2
        
        15 June 2020 22: 59
        
        Sorry, but I don’t have confidence in English sources.
        You already decide. There is no trust in Russian sources - read in English and give links to English.
        Write in Russian, read in Russian, and are on a Russian-language site. I bring the recollections of real participants in the events, and you refer to the clumsy translation of an English article.
        Do you think this adds credibility to your statements?
        ----
        Regarding the law. Too late a law. It was necessary to accept it much earlier.
        
        monman
        
        -1
        
        15 June 2020 23: 27
        
        Do you think this adds credibility to your statements?
        
        My statements can neither add credibility nor diminish - this is a forum, someone agrees with my opinion / fact, someone does not, you will not please everyone. And the source of my info can also be trusted, or not.
        By the way, I did not hide that info from Wiki.
        Here is how I searched:
        typed in google “russian troops pristina airport” and got wiki:
        
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incident_at_Pristina_airport
        
        There is no reason not to believe the source, because there are no media paid by the state in the USA, it is prohibited by law. In addition, all the media rummage where Russian journalists have never dreamed of.
        And authority can be with scientists in the exact sciences and dictators.
        I will tell you a secret that the authority of a wife in the eyes of her grandchildren is higher than mine. So don't get used to it ...
        
        Too late a law. It was necessary to accept it much earlier.
        
        And here I strongly disagree with you! There can be no law on the protection of history in a civilized state. Everyone has the right to interpret events! I am talking about “interpretation,” not about fact. Although there is no fact of the presence of amers on the moon - 400 kg of stones from Arizona !! (secret!!)
        
        Bakht
        
        +1
        
        16 June 2020 07: 55
        
        A wiki is an open source resource where everyone can write. And has long been no longer a source of information. Personally, I use Wiki only as a quick search engine. No more.
        If you believe that the media in the West are not paid, then read the trump tweets. Russian media are currently more informative than Western ones.
        Laws in the West have long ruled out the interpretation of events. For the denial of genocide in France may be sent to prison. Despite the research of historians.
        I can repeat, the fact that the paratroopers in Slatine were starving and the British fed them, no. There are only speculations of interested parties. So this is not true.
    2. Bakht
      
      +2
      
      15 June 2020 20: 47
      
      As for the flight through Bulgaria and Hungary, this is a completely different story.
      
      The main problem for us was to withdraw the battalion from Bosnia. We planned to send three battalions: one landed in the city of Nis on the territory of Serbia, the other landed in Slatina, and the battalion from Uglevik moved out and occupied its sector in Kosovo Mitrovica, which adjoins the main territory of Serbia. But, since the Romanians and Hungarians did not allow the planes with our soldiers to fly, which, incidentally, was a violation of the rules of international flights, we redirected the remaining battalion, which instead of Kosovo Mitrovica went to Pristina.
      1. Bakht
        
        +1
        
        15 June 2020 20: 50
        
        And General Kvashnin ordered to turn around when Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov brought the returning American delegation to the Department of Defense. They are back to influence us.
        
        When Minister of Defense Igor Sergeyev hesitated - maybe, he says, we’ll stop the battalion? “I understood that if this was done, then the British would be the first to enter and occupy Slatina airfield.” Therefore, at the meeting, where there were both the Foreign Ministry and the chief of the General Staff, as well as other generals and officers, I said that there was no connection with Zavarzin. The Minister of Defense then approved of this.
        
        It is true that I advised Zavarzin to turn off the phone. But Kvashnin then got up and said: I will [contact] myself now. The battalion had a command and staff vehicle that kept in touch with its brigade. And through this channel he gave the command to stop the movement and turn around. Zavarzin called me. I reminded him: who set the task for you? He says: Minister of Defense personally. I say: he received this task from the president, and only the Minister of Defense, and not the Chief of the General Staff, can give the command for cancellation. Therefore, I told him to obey the order of the Minister of Defense, which Zavarzin did.
        
        Not a single memory even mentions Putin.
    3. Bakht
      
      +2
      
      15 June 2020 21: 04
      
      https://desantura.ru/news/61631/
      
      I think the interview with the battalion commander is more meaningful.
alexandrmakedo

+2

15 June 2020 17: 12

Quote: cmonman
And they began to talk with Russia in a different tone.

The sound tone and tone of the headlines of the sponsored Russian media are, as they say in Odessa, "2 big or 4 small differences."
They correctly removed their aircraft carrier - not all Caliber controlled, could hurt.

RESULT is evaluated. What they thought there is their business. Paid cranks in another letter - a field of activity in the future. Weeding and frying awaits them.