9 minutes agoFollowing Putin's statement of Russian forces' entry into Kosovo, Kosovo professor's reaction comes
Periskopi(6 years ago)
(6 years ago)The president of the Federation of Russia has conducted an interview for Russian television “Russia 1”, in which, among other things, has commented on the unexpected entry of Russian forces to Kosovo on June 11th 1999. Tates of this interview have brought many media to the region, underlining Putin's thoughts since then, [...]
Tates of this interview have brought many media to the region, underlining Putin's thoughts since then, as he himself has declared was Secretary of the Russian Security Council.
I can talk about how it came to be. Then I was Secretary of Security Council. I was approached by the head of the General Staff, then General Kwashniini, and he told me that the idea exists to take over this airport. In the question of why, he replied, it's clear that one day we'll go, but we'll have something to negotiate with. So, I said, if you look at it as reasonable, so do your”, Putin has declared in an interview regarding the Russian forces' entry out of agreement with Western partners in Kosovo.
This is what university professor Ibrahim Gashi has been talking about. In a proposal for KosovoPress, Gashi has said Putin acknowledged himself that the Russian contingent's entry into Pristina Airport on 11 June 1999 was made for Russia's top interests and in no way the defence of local Serbs.
It clearly testifies that, Russia has never thought of Serbs, Kosovo or any other part. She has calculated and continues to calculate only for her interests. He, unlike NATO, has seen the intervention in Kosovo from the perspective of Russia's geostrategic position. To raise the price of any part closer to Russia, and then leave Pristina Airport”, Gashi has declared.
On June 11th 1999, the Russians entered Kosovo, just hours before NATO entered Kosovo, which marked Kosovo's liberation, following the 79-day bombing in Serbia's genocide device. The next day, at Pristina Airport, where the Russians were deployed, nearly the armed conflict between them and the British. Former US General of NATO Wesley Clark has said he was ready to force the Russians to leave the airport, but that he had avoided British General Mike Jackson, who was commander of KFOR.
The contingent of Russian troops from Kosovo has been eventually withdrawn in July 2003. Their 4-year tenure in Kosovo marked many scandals, since the killing of three Serbs near Gjilan, the women's kidnapping attempt at nightclubs and many other incidents.
The Albanian majority in Kosovo never welcomed them, rather, protested at all locations where the Russians operated under the KFOR mission.
