Incident at Pristina
Encyclopedia
The Incident at Pristina was a confrontation between the NATO forces and Russia
n forces over the Pristina International Airport in the aftermath of the Kosovo War
. Russian troops occupied the airport ahead of a NATO deployment, resulting in a tense stand-off, which was resolved peacefully.
airborne
troops arrived in Yugoslavia
to assist their ally Serbia
, and occupied Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari ahead of the arrival of NATO troops.
NATO Command had closed airspace, making it impossible to send support and ammunition from Russia
to Serbia, which could have led to World War III involving Russia and the block CIS
.
NATO eventually gave control of the airport to Russia.
The Kosovo War
ended on June 11, 1999, and a joint NATO-Russian peacekeeping force was to be installed in Kosovo
. Russia had expected to receive a peacekeeping sector independent of NATO, and were angered when this was refused.
A contingent of 200 Russian troops deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina
then crossed into Kosovo and occupied Pristina International Airport in Pristina
, the capital city of Kosovo.
Upon hearing of the deployment, American NATO commander Wesley Clark
called NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana
, and was told "you have to transfer authority" in the area. Clark then ordered a contingent of 500 British and French paratroopers to seize the airport by force, an order that is still debated. British officer (later singer-songwriter
) James Blunt
, who commanded the contingent, questioned and did not carry out this order. His delay was sanctioned by British General Mike Jackson
. Jackson refused to enforce Clark's orders, reportedly telling him "I'm not going to start the Third World War for you". Jackson instructed the paratroopers to encircle the airport instead.
Russia placed several airbases on standby, and prepared battalions of paratroopers to depart for Pristina on Il-76 military transport planes. Fearing that Russian aircraft were heading for the airport, General Clark planned to order British tanks and armored cars to block the runway, and requested American Admiral James O. Ellis
for helicopter support. His orders were not carried out, and the United States instead put political pressure on neighboring states not to allow Russia to use their airspace to ferry in the reinforcements. Russia was forced to call off the reinforcements after Bulgaria
, Hungary
and Romania
refused requests by Russia to use their airspace.
Negotiations were conducted throughout the standoff, during which Russia insisted that its troops would only be answerable to Russian commanders, and that it retain an exclusive zone for its own peacekeepers. NATO refused, predicting that it would lead to the partition of Kosovo into an Albanian south and a Serbian north. Both sides eventually agreed that Russian peacekeepers would deploy throughout Kosovo, but independent of NATO.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n forces over the Pristina International Airport in the aftermath of the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
. Russian troops occupied the airport ahead of a NATO deployment, resulting in a tense stand-off, which was resolved peacefully.
Russian Assistance to Serbia
On the night of July 12, 1999, 200 RussianRussians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
airborne
Airborne
- Music :* Airbourne , an Australian hard rock band* Airborne , a jazz band based in Connecticut* Airborne * Airborne * Airborne...
troops arrived in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
to assist their ally Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, and occupied Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari ahead of the arrival of NATO troops.
NATO Command had closed airspace, making it impossible to send support and ammunition from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
to Serbia, which could have led to World War III involving Russia and the block CIS
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
.
NATO eventually gave control of the airport to Russia.
The Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
ended on June 11, 1999, and a joint NATO-Russian peacekeeping force was to be installed in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. Russia had expected to receive a peacekeeping sector independent of NATO, and were angered when this was refused.
A contingent of 200 Russian troops deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
then crossed into Kosovo and occupied Pristina International Airport in Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
, the capital city of Kosovo.
Upon hearing of the deployment, American NATO commander Wesley Clark
Wesley Clark
Wesley Kanne Clark, Sr., is a retired general of the United States Army. Graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1966 at West Point, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford where he obtained a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and later graduated from the...
called NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana
Javier Solana
Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
, and was told "you have to transfer authority" in the area. Clark then ordered a contingent of 500 British and French paratroopers to seize the airport by force, an order that is still debated. British officer (later singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
) James Blunt
James Blunt
James Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
, who commanded the contingent, questioned and did not carry out this order. His delay was sanctioned by British General Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson
General Sir Michael David "Mike" Jackson, is a retired British Army officer and one of its most high-profile generals since the Second World War. Originally commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in 1963, he transferred to the Parachute Regiment, with whom he served two of his three tours of...
. Jackson refused to enforce Clark's orders, reportedly telling him "I'm not going to start the Third World War for you". Jackson instructed the paratroopers to encircle the airport instead.
Russia placed several airbases on standby, and prepared battalions of paratroopers to depart for Pristina on Il-76 military transport planes. Fearing that Russian aircraft were heading for the airport, General Clark planned to order British tanks and armored cars to block the runway, and requested American Admiral James O. Ellis
James O. Ellis
Admiral James O. Ellis, Jr. is a retired 4-star admiral and former Commander, United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He currently is President and Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and serves on the board of directors of Lockheed...
for helicopter support. His orders were not carried out, and the United States instead put political pressure on neighboring states not to allow Russia to use their airspace to ferry in the reinforcements. Russia was forced to call off the reinforcements after Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
refused requests by Russia to use their airspace.
Negotiations were conducted throughout the standoff, during which Russia insisted that its troops would only be answerable to Russian commanders, and that it retain an exclusive zone for its own peacekeepers. NATO refused, predicting that it would lead to the partition of Kosovo into an Albanian south and a Serbian north. Both sides eventually agreed that Russian peacekeepers would deploy throughout Kosovo, but independent of NATO.