KOSOVO: RUSSIAN TROOPS BRAVERY AWARDS CEREMONY

(18 Jul 1999) Natural Sound
Russia's armed forces have decorated twenty-three soldiers who were involved in the controversial entry to Kosovo, a day ahead of K-FOR troops.
The soldiers, whose arrival in the capital Pristina threatened a rift with NATO, were awarded for bravery at a a special ceremony on Sunday.
Russian troops were celebrating on Sunday in Kosovo.
At the symbolic military parade at the Russian K-FOR base at Pristina's airport, Russia decorated some of the troops who caused an international controversy when they arrived at Pristina airport in Kosovo - a day ahead of a general K-FOR deployment in the province.
The soldiers, who were returning to their original S-FOR mission in Bosnia to serve, were decorated by Major General Valery Yevtukhovich.
Twenty three of the hundreds of troops were decorated for their 'courage' for taking control of Pristina airport.
This action caused an international furore at the time because the Russians staged their arrival ahead of KFOR's planned deployment, despite the previous agreement on cooperation with NATO.
The move strained international relations between Russia and the West.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin decorated some of his top generals in Moscow immediately after the Russians had taken control of the airport.
On Sunday hundreds of Russian troops attended the ceremony before leaving to return for duty in Bosnia.
They were blessed by Russian priest Father Mikhail.
On Saturday, K-FOR commander British General Michael Jackson said he is hopeful that the mission of the Russian contingent in KFOR will be successful.
Jackson told journalists in Pristina on Saturday that relations between Russian servicemen and their KFOR colleagues from other countries are good now.

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