Serbia

[ORAC]

Doubtless Russian fomented to distract from the war in Ukraine. One hope the new Chinese SAW will be appropriately targeted…

https://twitter.com/trenttelenko/status/1553804808259346432?s=21&t=Y-ASSWDO4lREzu_xHjXrOQ


Check this thread out vis-a'-vis on the military tension spike at the Serbian-Kosovo border.

The Serb President says Kosovo is about to attack, has moved Serb troops to the border & blockaded cross-border vehicle traffic.

Border 'Firefights' are reported….

[uxb99]

Didn't we put this to bed in the 90's?

[ORAC]

Been going for over a 1000 years - a bit naive to think one minor intervention would kill it off…

[MJ89]

reported gunfire, https://twitter.com/IntelCrab/status/1553844363201024001?s=20&t=87CFwsIeFabwVPN6OWR15g
Air raid sirens in north kosovo verified.

https://ukranews.com/en/news/872888-serbian-president-says-kosovo-plans-to-attack-serbia-serbian-army-put-on-full-alert

with all those air defence systems delivered from the Chinese this April is this a part of the putin puzzle play. Serb wildcard to pull out to distract from ukraine at an appropriate (possibly important) time. and give the chinese a sandbox to test there stuff in the field.
It Could be quite a headache. possibly

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/markurban01/status/1553822774539468800?s=21&t=iQAWyLRxe_pcnV9R6TGYCg


Tensions are very high currently between Serbia and Kosovo, with reports of barricades going up in Serb areas of the province and clashes. It’s an evolving situation tonight but it’s possible that Serbia has upped the ante as part of a geopolitical move coordinated with Russia.

NATO has described the situation as tense, notes it is ready to intervene *if* stability is jeopardised and restates its commitment to political process between Kosovo and Serbia…


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/647x776/image_d656ae3cfba7c2e6020dbc5a2d4e454852ad0352.jpeg

[ORAC]

A remarkably naive view of how difficult it would be to persuade anyone to launch aircraft into any conflict where the Serbs have latest generation SAW - let alone commit to offensive operations…

https://twitter.com/noclador/status/1553804514490286080?s=21&t=iQAWyLRxe_pcnV9R6TGYCg


I am not even checking what is happening between Serbia and Kosovo.

Because there are 2 foreign military commands in Kosovo: an American and an Italian, which have an US Air Force F-16C Block 40 wing at Aviano and an Italian Air Force Eurofighter wing at Gioia del Colle and an F-35A wing at Amendola, plus an Italian Army paratroopers brigade at Pisa & a US Army airborne brigade at Aviano as backup.

If the Serbians do something stupid it will take 2 hours for the first of 100+ fighter-bombers to appear above the Serbian troops... & kill them all.

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1553825541140189184?s=21&t=iQAWyLRxe_pcnV9R6TGYCg


The letter "Z" used by #Russian Army invading #Ukraine has been observed on the helmets of Serbian forces on the border with #Kosovo as both countries mass military equipment to their borders.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1280x588/image_3224405e91d85b0cf8b13bb22f67f217b12dfd28.jpeg

[Wokkafans]

https://twitter.com/vloracitaku/status/1553861939071258625?s=20&t=kutnpsKrGk0GFZpKTN6uRw

[MJ89]

I hope its just a Very local administration issue, the change date is the 1st august. https://www.rferl.org/a/kosovo-serbia-border-corssing-blocked-tensions/31967812.html

Hard to imagine how only a generation later some are so eager to relive horrors of there relatives in the 90s. But perhaps the serbs are as indoctrinated as a good proportion of the russians are.

Lets just hope its a licensing issue.

[etudiant]

I hope its just a Very local administration issue, the change date is the 1st august. https://www.rferl.org/a/kosovo-serbia-border-corssing-blocked-tensions/31967812.html

Hard to imagine how only a generation later some are so eager to relive horrors of there relatives in the 90s. But perhaps the serbs are as indoctrinated as a good proportion of the russians are.

Lets just hope its a licensing issue.

Suspect the mutual confidence there is zero, so any change in the status quo will be seen as a way to inflict harm by one of the parties.
In Jerusalem for example, the management of the various Christian holy places is super regulated by the various denominations that control them individually.
No change is possible without massive effort to ensure agreement by all parties.
Same here, no administrative issue is ever local in this situation, but rather will be seen as part of a salami slice tactic.

[fdr]

Russia would benefit from the distraction of Serbia and Kosovo tensions. Didn't end well last time. The damage from 1999's bombing was still evident in 2014. ''Such a development of events is more evidence of the failure of the mediation mission of the European Union. This is also an example of what place Serbia has been prepared for in the European Union by offering Belgrade to de facto put up with the lack of rights of its compatriots,''
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

And yet she is a mouthpiece for her govt's genocide in Ukraine, and doesn't gag on the use of the term "provocation" by the Russian FM.

[Tartiflette Fan]

A remarkably naive view of how difficult it would be to persuade anyone to launch aircraft into any conflict where the Serbs have latest generation SAW -
.

SAW ? I only know this as Squad Automatic Weapon, presumably not meant here .

[ORAC]

SAW = Surface to Air Weapons.

A generic term covering SAM, AA guns, laser and anything else such as EMP you might think of.

https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/saw_surface-to-air-weapon.html

Latest Serbian system.

https://en.missilery.info/missile/hq-22

[Lonewolf_50]

This won't end well.

[ORAC]

https://rs.n1info.com/english/news/serbian-ruling-party-mp-serbia-might-have-to-begin-denazification-of-balkans/

Serbian ruling party MP: Serbia might have to begin denazification of Balkans

[Lonewolf_50]

As clumsy as Milosevic was as a leader, it would appear that the new generation are no improvement if that MP's remarks are any indication.
Has anyone sent a Memo to the Bulgarians, explaining that they are now Nazis?
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/596x383/karte_suedosteuropa_03_01_43154a12b6c667b4498bd16d0d68cd4ba9 5da18a.png
The Balkans _ what is it anyway?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Karte_Suedosteuropa_03_01.png

[Beamr]

Serbian ruling party MP: Serbia might have to begin denazification of Balkans
Did no one tell the MP that bigger portion of the Balkan peninsula is NATO territory. Rather bold statement of said MP. Unless he meant to denazify himself.

[melmothtw]

Didn't we put this to bed in the 90's?

Paddy Ashdown said in the late 1990s that he felt peace in the Balkans would last for about 20 years, which was just long enough for a new generation that had never experienced the war to come into adulthood, and for the generation that did experience it to forget the horror. Incidentally, he noted, pre-Tito the ethnic conflicts would typically flare up every 20 years or so.

[fitliker]

Six Y 20 aircraft delivered some missiles in April. Will that be enough for a prolonged conflict or just enough fireworks for a large display ?

[ex-fast-jets]

I spent six months of my life in Sarajevo in 1997/8 as the UK military representative at the OHR - (Office of the High Representative) a UN position.

Kosovo was going on while I was there.

I was not at all impressed by the peace dividend that had allegedly been brokered, and spent most of my time trying to keep Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks at peace and talking to each other. I never thought that I was successful in my endeavours. They did not seem keen to get on with each other.

So I am not at all surprised that Serbia is possibly acting as a surrogate to Putin's current Ukraine adventure. Putin might enjoy a distraction west from what he seems to be up to in Ukraine, and Serbia would probably enjoy their efforts at regional domination as well.

The world is not as peaceful as it was during the Cold War.

Just my opinion.

Does anyone have an answer?

[Jwscud]

Simply flying through that area regularly, many radar units are unwilling even to give you the call sign of their neighbours. It’s a rare Belgrade controller who will tell you to contact Sarajevo or KFOR, similarly a rare Zagreb controller who will tell you to contact Belgrade…

[Lonewolf_50]

They did not seem keen to get on with each other.
Understatement of the week. ;) The Dayton agreement was only achieved by quite a bit of arm twisting. (Red an article recently about those weeks in Ohio, I'll see if I can find a link). The three parties went into it feeling that they had done so "Against our wills, Papa, against our wills!"
Simply flying through that area regularly, many radar units are unwilling even to give you the call sign of their neighbours. It’s a rare Belgrade controller who will tell you to contact Sarajevo or KFOR, similarly a rare Zagreb controller who will tell you to contact Belgrade… No surprise.

[Marly Lite]

Spent many dets in Kosovo 99/2000. Always knew this was not finished. Speak to any Serb. They waited a long time to kick the Ottomans out. They then get their country handed to the Albanians, courtesy of NATO.
Do not believe the western narrative that think the Albanians were all sweet and light and the Serbs were evil. There were atrocities on both sides, but we were fed the party line.
Do not fall for the narrative.

[etudiant]

Spent many dets in Kosovo 99/2000. Always knew this was not finished. Speak to any Serb. They waited a long time to kick the Ottomans out. They then get their country handed to the Albanians, courtesy of NATO.
Do not believe the western narrative that think the Albanians were all sweet and light and the Serbs were evil. There were atrocities on both sides, but we were fed the party line.
Do not fall for the narrative.

Agree entirely with you, but the party line is really pervasive. It is almost as if there was a monopoly on the news.
It is sobering when one has to read Xinhua or the World Socialist Web site to get a more balanced view of events.

[InSoMnIaC]

Spent many dets in Kosovo 99/2000. Always knew this was not finished. Speak to any Serb. They waited a long time to kick the Ottomans out. They then get their country handed to the Albanians, courtesy of NATO.
Do not believe the western narrative that think the Albanians were all sweet and light and the Serbs were evil. There were atrocities on both sides, but we were fed the party line.
Do not fall for the narrative.

you must be Serbian. “Serbs get their country handed to the albanians” says it all. Were the Albanians also responsible for the massacres of Bosnians and Croats?

The Albanians are autochthonous to the region. Serbs are not. The Albanian population in Kosovo is around 95%. But you say its Serbian Land? Go spew your propaganda somewhere else.

[melmothtw]

Agree entirely with you, but the party line is really pervasive. It is almost as if there was a monopoly on the news.
It is sobering when one has to read Xinhua or the World Socialist Web site to get a more balanced view of events.

Of course you do etudiant, bad takes are your thing. It's utter tosh that the Serbs were the victims, just as it's utter tosh that the Russians are the victims in Ukraine today. The Serbs were the aggressors throughout the Yugoslav wars, of which Kosovo was the culmination. After a decade of genocide and massacres, the West finally had had enough and the Serbs finally got to reap what they had sown.

[beardy]

Spent many dets in Kosovo 99/2000. Always knew this was not finished. Speak to any Serb. They waited a long time to kick the Ottomans out. They then get their country handed to the Albanians, courtesy of NATO.
Do not believe the western narrative that think the Albanians were all sweet and light and the Serbs were evil. There were atrocities on both sides, but we were fed the party line.
Do not fall for the narrative.
As part of the follow on from Russian expansionism in 19th century Crimea and their push toward a warm water port on the Black Sea and eventually the Mediterranean,the Serbs were, shall we say 'encouraged' by some nationalist Russians to believe that they belonged, heart and soul, to an Orthodox 'Greater Serbia' (and not to the Islamic Ottomans) . Some were supplied with training, weapons and explosives by disaffected Russians. They felt betrayed when the Czar abandoned them to the Austro-Hungarian Empire whilst their neighbours became aligned with Russia and were again 'encouraged' to rebel against that pact (by internal Russian factions who didn't agree with the Czar).
The unintended consequence was the First World War along with the collapse of the regime in Russia.

I hope that this history is not repeating itself. Perhaps Serbian politicians could learn from history that Russian promises are worthless.

[uxb99]

Bit of thread creep but I feel justified as I'm sure a lot of people maybe thinking the same.
Serbia, Ukraine, Chinese tanks now sabre rattling on Fujian beaches. The US in Taiwan.
Are we looking at an inevitable World Wide escalation here?
I'm asking hoping you will all say `no way` as it is a little scary.

[ORAC]

There are reasons fo4 launching surprise attacks - a visit by a 82 year old leader of a lower chamber of government who will be out of office within a few months isn’t one of them…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%27s_final_warning

“China’s final warning”

[Lonewolf_50]

There are reasons fo4 launching surprise attacks - a visit by a 82 year old leader of a lower chamber of government who will be out of office within a few months isn’t one of them…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%27s_final_warning
“China’s final warning” I had not heard that Speaker Pelosi was retiring. (https://nypost.com/2022/01/25/nancy-pelosi-will-run-for-congress-again-defying-retirement-rumors/)
Her position as the Speaker of the House (next in line of succession after the Vice President) makes her visit carry a certain amount of political messaging weight. I also doubt that she'll lose her bid for re election in November.
Nice link, thanks. But...
President Xi has been slowly consolidating power and using quite a bit of rhetoric that involves "the century/centuries of humiliation" so relying on the final warning being an empty threat seems to me a careless approach - given China's much increased capability in the last quarter of a century.
President Xi may be itching to establish a precedent that "China's Final Warning" can no longer be taken lightly.

[ORAC]

She may not be retiring, but all the polls say the democrats won’t have the majority and she won’t be the speaker any more…

[Lonewolf_50]

She may not be retiring, but all the polls say the democrats won’t have the majority and she won’t be the speaker any more… We'll see. You may be right. But, the polls also predicted that H. Clinton would beat D. Trump, yet that isn't what happened. ;) (See also the predictions of Dewey beating Truman (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Deweytruman12.jpg) ~ whoops, that one didn't pan out either!)

[SINGAPURCANAC]

Simply flying through that area regularly, many radar units are unwilling even to give you the call sign of their neighbours. It’s a rare Belgrade controller who will tell you to contact Sarajevo or KFOR, similarly a rare Zagreb controller who will tell you to contact Belgrade…
ohh, what we could read on these pages...:ugh::ugh::ugh:

But I will informaly investigate case...

It is simple impossible because it is written that you must tell: the name of unit , type of service AND frequency (e.g. Zagreb radar 120.7, Banja Luka radar 136.05, Belgrade radar 123.775 etc...-you can not shorten it..)

[PlasticCabDriver]

Interestingly, following a string of Italians commanding KFOR, it is now Hungarian-led. Given that Viktor Orban is not exactly one of Putins staunchest critics, might there be any significance in the timing of this latest trouble, and might there be scope for interference from Hungary in the KFOR response?

[911slf]

A few years ago on holiday in Istanbul I went to the military museum. On display was what was claimed to be the original Ottoman flag flown at the battle of Kosovo in 1448 (but it looked like a replica to me) . This battle was between the Turks and Hungarians. The Ottomans won and went on to capture Serbia and the rest of the Balkans, before going on to take Constantinople in 1453.

After the successful Greek revolt against the Ottomans in the 1820s, the Greeks came up with the Megali Idea (Big Idea). They wanted to recapture Constantinople for Christianity.

It's not only not over, it's hardly started. And once more the Russians are involved.

Only odd numbered world wars start in the Balkans. Oh!

[SINGAPURCANAC]

ahh :}

This thread becomes expert one.

Battle of Kosovo in 1448,
Hungarian vs Turks
:ouch::oh::8:}:E:ugh::{:zzz:

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/iaponomarenko/status/1554799042521169920?s=21&t=0c4McTcX342PKXjjNDH9QA


Ukraine’s 40-strong peacekeeping unit, part of the KFOR mission, is leaving Kosovo

[Lonewolf_50]

ahh :}

This thread becomes expert one.

Battle of Kosovo in 1448,
Hungarian vs Turks
:ouch::oh::8:}:E:ugh::{:zzz:
The battle of Kosovo that I usually think of was in 1398. Now I have to look up that later one.

[etudiant]

The battle of Kosovo that I usually think of was in 1398. Now I have to look up that later one.

No expertise on the Balkans, but the internecine fighting in the region during WW2 was incredibly brutal, with atrocities the order of the day, Check out Chetniks or Ustashi for details.
The place is soaked in blood, has been since Byzantine days, when one of the more successful emperors got the honorific title of 'Bulgar Killer'..The Turks just added to the mayhem, centuries later.

[911slf]

The battle of Kosovo that I usually think of was in 1398. Now I have to look up that later one.
The second battle is the one the Turks like to focus on because it was decisive (for a few centuries at least). It's anyone's guess as to when the next battle will be fought.

I claim no expertise here, I simply reported that I saw the flag. Judging from the number of images available this is a live issue still. Are the Kosovans (a) an oppressed minority (b) a threat to their neighbours, with support from Turkey (c) both (d) not worth learning about?

two crossed flags Kosovo and Turkey waving in wind at cloudy sky. Concept of relationship, dialog, travelling between two countries. 3d illustration Stock Photo - Alamy (https://www.alamy.com/two-crossed-flags-kosovo-and-turkey-waving-in-wind-at-cloudy-sky-concept-of-relationship-dialog-travelling-between-two-countries-3d-illustration-image473431214.html?imageid=D9FBFEA4-3669-4F1E-A077-830176816C1E&p=1443373&pn=1&searchId=e87a3554635efb29219704af9dc71dbd&searchtype=0)

[ORAC]

And things to continue to bubble as Russia continues to try and distract from Ukraine and cause problems elsewhere..

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/10/31/serbia-kosovo-mitrovica-license-plates-threaten-tensions-boil-over/

In Northern Kosovo, Tensions Threaten to Boil Over

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/youranontv/status/1595032006647324672?s=61&t=Fbvb_yp2QpHnlL8lndYsJw


​​​​​​​JUST IN: #Kosovo gov't officials have stated that the Russian mercenary network known as the "Wagner Group" has illegally entered the north of Kosovo to cause tensions and fuel the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia.

[chopper2004]

Don't forget the six PLAAF latest Xian Y-20 which turned up Nikola Tesla International Airport back in April

https://theaviationist.com/2022/04/19/chinese-y-20-to-serbia/

And i suspect the one Y-20 I saw in my other neck of the woods at Airpower 2022 in Zeltweg back in Sept and that was the highlight of the show, (my pic below). I suspect the PLAAF Y-20 fleet was and still is in and out of Europe.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/305843928_10160706227721490_5180288271503261608_n_82c03be31b 3592fbca331d2a6283876ac03205f7.jpg
cheers

[ORAC]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/20/kosovo-pm-albin-kurti-says-russia-is-inflaming-serbia-tensions-as-ukraine-war-falters

Kosovo PM says Russia is inflaming Serbia tensions as Ukraine war falters

Kosovo’s prime minister, Albin Kurti, has warned of Russia inflaming tensions between his country and Serbia due to the war in Ukraine (https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) faltering, as Belgrade took its first step in deploying troops to the region.

Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo (https://www.theguardian.com/world/kosovo), where they are in the majority, have had barricades set up for more than a week, preventing the free movement of the Kosovan authorities, despite US and EU calls for the illegal road blocks to be dismantled.

A large group of members of the Narodne Patrole, a Serbian nationalist organisation with ties to the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, had also massed on Sunday on the Serbian side of the Serbia-Kosovo border threatening to confront Nato troops.

With the risk of violent clashes growing, Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vučić, used his right under a UN resolution to ask Nato for permission to send 1,000 police and army personnel, citing a need to protect Serbian communities. Serbia’s request on Friday, the first since the Kosovan war ended in 1999, will almost certainly be rejected, but the concern will be that it could be the first step towards a unilateral decision to deploy.

Kurti said he was anxious the tense situation could escalate to the advantage of Vladimir Putin with Russian and Serbian forces having conducted 104 joint military exercises in 2021. The Kosovan leader added that he had agreed to give Nato-led troops, known as Kfor, time to persuade those on the barricades to stand down but that they could not be allowed to remain much longer.

He described the barricades as a step towards partitioning the country, which has been independent from Serbia since 2008.

“Our worry [is] that removal of these barricades cannot exclude casualties,” he said. “And that’s why we want to be as careful as possible to make sure that there will be no destabilisation and relative peace and security will be in place. However, we cannot allow this violation of lawfulness and constitutionality for ever. So, yeah, this must end, sooner the better.”…….

[ORAC]

JUST IN: The Serbian Armed Forces and the police are on full combat readiness, Defense minister says - Kommersant/Politika

"The President of Serbia, as Commander-in-Chief, ordered tonight that the Serbian Armed Forces be at the highest level of combat readiness, i.e. preparedness up to the level of the use of armed forces, i.e. the armed potential of the Serbian Armed Forces" - Defense minister

[ORAC]

Nonsense
Which bit? BBC & Sky News:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64099388

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-64099388

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1662148600384696320?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić has announced that the Serbian Army has now begun to Deployed towards the Border with Kosovo after being placed on High-Alert earlier today; this announcements follows Major Riots and Protests across Northern Kosovo today by Ethic-Serbs who are angry that the Kosovan City of Zvecan has elected an Ethic-Albanian Mayor.…

[minigundiplomat]

Does this mean energy prices are going up again? or do I need another injection?

[Asturias56]

Not major energy players - thank God!

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1663544204809715712?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


2 U.S. Air Force B-1B Heavy Bombers launched from RAF Fairford in the Southern U.K. flew low over the the Bosnian Capital of Sarajevo today in a “Show of Strong Partnership” between the U.S. Military and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At least 1 B-1B was spotted over Sarajevo this morning.

​​​​​​​

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/carlbildt/status/1663252326402883601?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Carl Bildt: “This is the worst that’s been seen in 🇽🇰 for many years. Serb militants in northern 🇽🇰 attack Nato forces and wound eleven of them.”…

[Expatrick]

Carl Bildt: “This is the worst that’s been seen in 🇽🇰 for many years. Serb militants in northern 🇽🇰 attack Nato forces and wound eleven of them.”…

Apparently 30, 11 Italians & 19 Hungarians.

Correction: Now 20 Hungarians.

[fdr]

JUST IN: #Kosovo gov't officials have stated that the Russian mercenary network known as the "Wagner Group" has illegally entered the north of Kosovo to cause tensions and fuel the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia.

"Who lets the dogs in... who, who... ?"

The choices are Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia or.... Serbia. So who permitted a terrorist organisation to enter their country and then cross over into another state? Into the northern areas of that state... the bit adjoining Serbia.
Wondering why the airspace and land borders into and out of Serbia are still open if they have decided to use a terrorist organisation to further their political aspirations in Kosovo.

[ORAC]

https://news.sky.com/story/nato-to-deploy-extra-700-troops-to-kosovo-as-tensions-with-ethnic-serbs-rise-12893256

NATO to deploy extra 700 troops to Kosovo as tensions with ethnic Serbs rise

NATO will deploy an extra 700 troops to Kosovo amid rising tensions with ethnic Serbs.

An additional battalion of reserve forces have also been put on high alert to be deployed if needed, NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has said. He said attacks in Kosovo "must stop".

Mr Stoltenberg warned that NATO troops "will take all necessary actions to maintain a safe and secure environment for all citizens in Kosovo".

He urged both sides to take steps to de-escalate, refrain from "further irresponsible behaviour", and to return to EU-backed talks on improving relations……

The flare-up has triggered a flurry of international efforts to calm the situation.

The US and most European Union nations have recognised Kosovo's independence from Serbia while Russia and China have sided with Belgrade.

Earlier today China expressed its support for Serbia's efforts to "safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity" and Moscow has repeatedly criticised Western policies in the dispute.

https://twitter.com/UnaHajdari/status/1663231545342148611?s=20


Italian FM Antonio Tajani has confirmed that 11 Italian NATO soldiers have been injured in the clashes, and that 3 of them are in critical condition. Italy has over the years been one of the main contributors to KFOR and the forces have been led by a string of Italian commanders.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1420x2000/image_c4336bb67b666760e9bff0d09f1132177db8b4f8.jpeg

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1663883617892696066?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


​​​​​​​2-3 NATO Convoys of roughly 20 Vehicles each were seen earlier this morning heading North towards the Mitrovica District of Kosovo and the Border with Serbia; these Convoy are reported to include German, Polish, and U.S. Soldiers from the NATO Rapid-Reaction Force which was Deployed to assist (KFOR) the Peacekeeping Force in Kosovo yesterday.

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/aliciakearns/status/1688331141365829632?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


10 Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees and 56 Parliamentarians have called on the US, EU & UK to change our approach to #Kosovo and #Serbia.

We need deterrence diplomacy, where we ensure there is balance in our dealings, and we do not repeat the mistakes of the past.

It is rare for so many Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees to come together to raise concerns, and express a shared commitment to de-escalation.…

Also published in @Tagesspiegel - important to have the signatures of both the German Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee @MiRo_SPD and Chair of the Committee on European Affairs @ToniHofreiter. Thank you to you both.



https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/985x1207/image_20ca36d26941588344e7578c5c225054ab311290.png
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/921x1227/image_81f09b29be495092b17613cbe17a75c902a02f7d.png


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/906x1223/image_c168b2e2919a0322d5807de38bd0834266a6924b.png

[Thirsty]

Looking at a map of Europe, I would be nervous if I was a Romanian, or maybe even a Moldovan. A clear wide passage of land between Russia to the Mediterranean, unhindered by the needing to exit the Black Sea via a possibly hostile Turkey/Ottoman Empire, through Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary, Romania, Albania, Croatia, and Serbia for direct passage of Russian defence, trade, and shipping is something that may be part of the long-term plan. Even China, having a land link to the Mediterranean via co-operation with Russia may be part of their strategy too.

A lot of elderly Yugoslavs are sighing and pining for the good ole' days of President Tito, who ruled with an iron fist and kept the warring tribes apart. The youth with naive ideology ruling their hot blood, are quick to fight, but slow to shake hands and make up, or even live begrudgingly in the land of their fathers in peace.

Some of those grudges go back to before Roman Times. The Slavs have a fierce fighting spirit, and will hold grudges for centuries. This is but a minor conflict, but it could flare up to a far wider issue if obstinate hot heads prevail.

[ORAC]

After Azerbaijan the next boot falls….

https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1707853946520219859?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


​​​​​​​BREAKING:

The U.S. says that there is a Serbian military build-up along the border of Kosovo which includes:

“unprecedented forward deployment of artillery, tanks and service members.”

The U.S. is now calling on Serbia to withdraw those forces.

[beardy]

Hide any Archdukes, especially those called Freddy.

Is this not attempting to repeat history?

[ORAC]

https://x.com/tendar/status/1707863545726005550?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


NATO hast just announced that it authorized a higher troop presence in Kosovo.

Serbia’s escalation potential is considered limited. Openly crossing the border to Kosovo would only trigger a full-blown NATO response. It would be suicidal for Belgrade to make such a foolish move but it shouldn’t be fully disregarded, especially when knowing that Russia has its fingers in play.

But Serbia has means to pose a threat by utilizing terrorist tactics just as in the Banjske incident a few days ago.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nato-says-it-has-authorized-additional-forces-kosovo-2023-09-29/

BRUSSELS, Sept 29 (Reuters) - NATO has authorized additional forces for Kosovo, the military alliance said on Friday, following the worst violence (https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kosovos-president-blames-serbia-shootout-says-kosovo-under-attack-2023-09-28/) in northern Kosovo in years.

A battle between police and armed Serbs (https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/serbia-investigate-killing-policeman-northern-kosovo-vucic-2023-09-28/) holed up in a monastery turned a quiet village in northern Kosovo into a war zone earlier this week.

NATO said in a statement that it had "authorized additional forces to address the current situation" but did not immediately specify how many or from which countries.

​​​​​​​A later statement from Britain's Ministry of Defence said it had transferred command of a battalion of troops to the alliance….

[ORAC]

https://x.com/sentdefender/status/1708147983802380426?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


​​​​​​​The 1st Infantry Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment stationed on the Island of Cyprus have reportedly begun to move into Kosovo in order to Reinforce the NATO Peacekeeping Forces already in the Country.

[ORAC]

https://x.com/sentdefender/status/1708157925523341750?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Additional Movements of the Serbian Armed Forces have been noted near the Kosovo Border with reports that some Units have begun to Withdraw from the “Line-of-Contact” while others including Recon Elements have moved closer to the Border.

​​​​​​​

[ORAC]

Wh6 Russia can’t be allowed to win, if they get away with it, others will follow.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/30/azerbaijan-is-hungry-for-land-armenians-fear-country-will-seek-to-grab-more-territory

‘Azerbaijan is hungry for land’: Armenians fear country will seek to grab more territory

[ORAC]

It would appear the rapid response has had the desired effect….

”The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić stated earlier today that Serbia has “No Intention” on launching a Military Operation inside of Kosovo and that the number of Troops on the Border will continue to be Reduced, with an Escalation of the Conflict being Counterproductive for Belgrade's European Aspirations”.

https://www.koha.net/en/arboretum/393870/Serbia-will-not-bring-military-forces-to-Kosovo/

[ORAC]

https://x.com/sentdefender/status/1708653661721600480?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


Kosovo Police Director, General Gazmend Hoxha has announced that Intelligence has been received which shows that the Serbian Armed Forces are possibly preparing to Annex a number of Areas in Northern Kosovo near the Border and that the Attack last week in the Village of Banjska is part of the Initial Staging for this Operation.

​​​​​​​He further stated that the Operation in Banjska had a number of Short and Long-Term Goals, one of which being the Establishment of an Underground Network which would be used to bring Weapons and Paramilitary Soldiers into Northern Kosovo; the Kosovo Security Force has already Discovered multiple Stockpiles of Untouched Weapons near the Village since the Attack.

[ORAC]

In addition to the 1st Infantry Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment which has already begun to arrive in Kosovo from their Base in Cyprus; the U.K. Secretary of Defense has announced that 500-1,000 Troops from the British Army will also arrive in Kosovo over the next week in order to Reinforce the NATO Peacekeeping Force in the Country, which already includes over 400 British Soldiers.

[ORAC]

https://x.com/jayinkyiv/status/1769794434378412285?s=61&t=rmEeUn68HhlFHGKbTPQr_A


​​​​​​​The fallout from the west failing to sufficiently support Ukraine continues.

24 hours after signing a security agreement with Russia, Serbia's Vucic announces they will invade Kosovo at a time of their choosing.

[fitliker]

The anti-aircraft missiles delivered last year are going to make it very interesting .

[admikar]

Kosovo Police Director, General Gazmend Hoxha has announced that Intelligence has been received which shows that the Serbian Armed Forces are possibly preparing to Annex a number of Areas in Northern Kosovo near the Border and that the Attack last week in the Village of Banjska is part of the Initial Staging for this Operation.

He further stated that the Operation in Banjska had a number of Short and Long-Term Goals, one of which being the Establishment of an Underground Network which would be used to bring Weapons and Paramilitary Soldiers into Northern Kosovo; the Kosovo Security Force has already Discovered multiple Stockpiles of Untouched Weapons near the Village since the Attack.
Strange, it was fine when his side was doing it?
​​​​​​​The fallout from the west failing to sufficiently support Ukraine continues.

24 hours after signing a security agreement with Russia, Serbia's Vucic announces they will invade Kosovo at a time of their choosing.
I think it's for domestic use only. Of course, same could be said about Russia, difference is that Serbia has no power to actually do it. And, again different to Russia, is surrounded by NATO countries.

[ORAC]

Trouble brewing across the Balkans…

Wall Street Journal

https://archive.is/2024.03.19-023554/https://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-wants-war-in-the-balkans-02bdcc5a

Putin Wants War in the Balkans

Russia is exploiting ethnic tensions as Serbia threatens violence against Kosovo and secessionists threaten a Bosnian collapse.

[admikar]

Trouble brewing across the Balkans…
secessionists threaten a Bosnian collapse.
This has even less chances of happening.

[ORAC]

Perhaps, but I recall all those scoffing at the possibility of Putin actually ordering the invasion of Ukraine…

[Expatrick]

Perhaps, but I recall all those scoffing at the possibility of Putin actually ordering the invasion of Ukraine…

Even Zelensky stated publicly that Russia wouldn't invade.

[melmothtw]

I remember Paddy Ashdown saying that he expected the next Balkan conflagration about 20 years after the last one in the 1990s, which was just long enough for a generation that had never experienced it to grow into adulthood and for those that had experienced it to forget the horrors. That was 30 years ago, so we're overdue.

[Ninthace]

Perhaps it will also turn out the same way?
Putin may be able to encourage, to distract NATO, but can he materially assist in a meaningful way?

[admikar]

It's more a distraction than anything else.
Standard of living is going down, hard. Rulling idiots need something to distract the people.
Especially in case of Bosnia. Dodik pulls secession card every year when the going gets though.
Point is, they don't have the strength to pull it off.