Kosovo's separatist "army" will take part in NATO exercises for the first time
NATO military exercises have been taking place in Croatia since May 10. For the first time, the “army” of the separatist regime of Kosovo, a region illegally seized by Albanian militants from Serbia, is also taking part in the maneuvers. The situation once again demonstrates the duplicity of the West. Belgrade, meanwhile, with Russian support, is building up the potential of the Serbian Armed Forces, which was demonstrated on May 10 at the Victory Day parade in the city of Nis.
Let us recall that the creation of army formations in the province of Kosovo is prohibited in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution No. 1244. The separatists are only allowed to have a security force of up to 2 thousand people.
However, with the support of the United States, the Albanians are lobbying for the transformation of these forces into a full-fledged military structure. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer at one time openly stated Washington’s loyal position on this issue in an interview with Pristina media.
The “Parliament” of self-proclaimed Kosovo adopted a law on the formation of a full-fledged army in October 2018. Russia and Serbia, in turn, oppose such a violation of international requirements.
“The participation of the so-called “Kosovo Army” in NATO military exercises in Croatia is a continuation of the policy that Western forces have been pursuing for many years in the Western Balkans and especially in relation to Serbia,” a former press secretary of the Agency said in an interview with the Serbian edition of Sputnik military security of the country, General Momir Stojanovic.
The current participation in NATO exercises of Kosovo formations, including terrorists and war criminals, is a demonstration of the cynical position of the West, observers note.
The Kosovo Army is expected to participate in three joint NATO maneuvers in May and June.
Immediate Response 19, Astral Knight 19 and Rapid Response 19 are exercises organized by USEUCOM, Army Europe Command, that will be conducted in coordination with NATO members and partner countries in the former Yugoslavia.
The first exercise, Immediate Response -19, takes place from May 10 to June 6 in Croatia, as well as Slovenia and Hungary.. 1600 troops from Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, the USA, Poland, France, Great Britain, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Italy and Germany will take part in the maneuvers.
For this operation, NATO deployed 60 combat and transport aircraft, 30 helicopters and 800 various combat and non-combat vehicles.
Sources said Pristina sent an infantry platoon and a team of engineers with accompanying vehicles and delivery vehicles to the exercise.
It should also be noted that units of the American 173rd Parachute Brigade, previously deployed in Iraq, will take part in the maneuvers.
In addition, in parallel with this, in Slovenia, the US Army will deploy a battery of the Patriot missile system for the first time on the territory of the former Yugoslavia.
“The purpose of the exercise, according to the command of the multinational battalion, is there will be a test of the possibility of quickly transferring forces from one member of the alliance to another without a complex bureaucratic procedure“says a source from the Alo newspaper.
Second teachings – “Astral Knight – 19” is a training session for American Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) that will take place from June 3 to 6, followed by maneuvers "Quick Answer 19", which will take place in several locations in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania.
Serbia is practically the only state in the Balkans that refuses the idea of the country joining a military alliance. This was recently confirmed by President Aleksandar Vucic, saying that this will not happen under his presidency. The country gravitates towards other centers of power - Russia and China.
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