Russian Bear
23rd July 2025, 13:44
All my articles: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?129834-Russian-articles-from-Russian-Bear&p=1672458&viewfull=1#post1672458
Exactly 25 years ago, on March 24, 1999, the countries of the NATO military bloc, led by the United States, began bombing a country in the center of Europe - Yugoslavia.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db4345900713509ac224f4/scale_1200
The operation lasted 78 days and was carried out ⚠️ without the approval of the UN Security Council. That is, illegally, violating international law. If we put it correctly, then this is simply military aggression.
The US and its vassals simply attacked a sovereign country that posed no threat to them and was located more than 7,000 km away from the US.
Then, for the first time since World War II, the capital of an independent state became the target of bombing.
❌ The aircraft made more than 35,000 sorties. To make it clearer: NATO bombed Yugoslavia 450 times a day (!), dropping 23,000 bombs and missiles, and with them about 15 tons of uranium.
❌ Among the victims were more than 5,000 people, ⅔ of whom were civilians.
❌ Both military and civilian infrastructure were bombed: more than 1,500 settlements were turned into ruins.
❌ The material damage amounted to about $100 billion.
The Western invasion was the culmination of the Kosovo War - in fact, an uprising of Kosovo Albanians, who at the time wanted independence from Yugoslavia.
In essence, there was a civil war in Yugoslavia, and the United States sided with the numerous separatists, insisted on and contributed to the destruction of the country.
Yes, that's how hypocritical they are!
In that case, the United States not only supported separatism and the destruction of the country, they destroyed it themselves!
And today they are shouting from all the irons about inviolable borders, applicable to a neighboring country.
⚠️ Although, by the way, inviolable borders, according to international law, are the borders of the USSR ⚠️
And if we draw parallels to the end, so that you understand what kind of situation this is, then according to the logic of the United States, in 2014 they should have recognized the independence of Donbass, imposed sanctions against Ukraine and bombed Kyiv with uranium bombs.
Why do they have such diametrically different positions on, say, similar situations?
It's simple: the main thing for them is to weaken their enemy. In this case, it is a strong state. Where [they] need, they apply the principle of inviolability of borders (this is Ukraine), and where necessary - the right of self-determination of peoples (this is Serbia and Kosovo).
It's just that their goal is not to preserve peace or some kind of justice.
Their goal is to seize and retain power, and dominate in the future.
So, officially, the main objective of the bombing of Yugoslavia in the alliance was called "prevention of genocide".
Again, today they support all this on the territory known to us.
And then, supposedly, it was necessary to prevent genocide by bombing Belgrade with depleted uranium.
But naturally, NATO pursued other goals:
⏭ firstly, to strengthen its influence in the Balkans, to advance to the east - closer to the borders of Russia.
⏭ And secondly, to remove a strong geopolitical player - Yugoslavia, which can be compared with the USSR or Russia. The destruction of which for the West was a kind of rehearsal, training before a clash with a stronger rival - Russia.
And now let's look at the most interesting and important facts in this story.
Yugoslavia finally disintegrated in 2006 with the exit of Montenegro from the union.
And in 2008, Kosovo effectively gained its independence from Serbia.
Kosovo is often compared to Crimea and Donbass.
✔️ The situation here is this: when Kosovo separated from Serbia - once the central region of Yugoslavia, the United States of America and its vassals argued that this was right, that this was the right of the people to self-determination.
❌ But when it came to Crimea and Donbass, this - for them - turned out to be wrong, this is separatism and a violation of the integrity of the country.
Such are the double standards.
But there were many more regions that were part of Yugoslavia.
Long before these sad events, Yugoslavia was known for its rapid growth rates:
✅ From 1952 to 1979, its GDP increased by 6% per year.
✅ The standard of living during this time tripled: salaries grew, people were allowed to travel freely.
✅ There was no so-called Iron Curtain or shortages.
✅ Yugoslav goods were considered elite in the USSR.
There were long lines for boots and sheepskin coats.
I think russian remembers the famous walls that were in every Soviet apartment.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db46763474ef16c09886c3/scale_1200
But the idyll in Yugoslavia did not last long. This country, unlike the Soviet Union, fell apart in a very bloody way.
❓ How are these events connected?
❓ Who is to blame?
❓ And why did this advanced country of its time fall apart?
FROM MONARCHY TO COMMUNISM
What was Yugoslavia anyway?
In 1918, after the First World War, Serbia was among the victors and actually became the basis to which other Yugoslav territories and peoples were annexed: Croats, Albanians, Slovenes, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Bosnians.
The borders were drawn so that people of different nationalities lived together. In general, it turned out to be a multinational, but generally Slavic country.
In general, these peoples were so tired of the Ottoman yoke - on the one hand, and the Austro-Hungarian - on the other, that the creation of a single state was a good alternative. But the unification was more like a patchwork quilt that was about to burst at the seams.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db4713ce4d2a4c9fb79f13/scale_1200
And there were serious contradictions, both ethnic and religious. Which manifested itself during the years of World War II.
Well, and World War I began precisely on the lands that later became Yugoslavia.
In June 1914, in Bosnia, which at that time was part of Austria-Hungary, the Serb Gavrilo Princip killed the former Duke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary.
Then Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia.
Russia stood up for its "younger brother" and began mobilization.
In response, Germany declared war.
Well, and then for 4 years 38 countries fought with each other and redrew the map of the world.
As was said, in the end, Serbia was among the victors.
In World War II, Yugoslavia was again torn apart by Nazi countries.
Germany formally declared only Serbia its enemy, which played on the national problems in the country.
Croatian nationalists - the Ustasha - immediately agreed to help Germany. Croatia gained independence, on whose territory the genocide began, which killed 800 thousand people.
Death camps were created in which Serbs were exterminated. In the most famous of them - "Jasenovac" - they even held a competition of dexterity among the executioners.
And the winner was this young man - Petar Brzica, who slaughtered 1,360 prisoners in just one night. For which he received the nickname King Serboracer.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db48011759d95956985c5f/scale_1200
Petar Brzica
Petar, by the way, was never punished. After the war, he took refuge (where else could the Nazis hide?), of course, in America - in the United States. And the American authorities refused to extradite him.
In response to the occupation, a powerful partisan movement developed in Yugoslavia. The liberation army was led by the communist Josip Broz, nicknamed Tito. By the middle of the war, Tito, a Croatian by nationality, had gathered 300 thousand people around him. And he enlisted the support of both Britain and the USSR.
In 1944, the Red Army helped liberate Belgrade.
And in 1945, the partisans completely rid the country of the fascists.
Yugoslavia became a federation, which included six socialist republics: Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db6c3709844609ab2652ce/scale_1200
In addition, Serbia included two autonomous regions - Kosovo and Vojvodina.
And at the head was the same leader of the resistance - Josip Tito.
THE TITO ERA
Tito ruled the country for 35 years.
At first, everything in Yugoslavia was done according to the Soviet model: collectivization, industrialization and state planning. And order was established exclusively by Stalin's methods. Thus, Yugoslavia was to become almost the main partner of the USSR in the socialist camp.
By the way, there is even a theory that during a trip to Moscow in 1935, the real Tito was replaced by a double - a Soviet agent. As evidence, they cited odd behavior that was not typical of a simple mechanic, which Tito was in his youth. He began to speak Serbo-Croatian with an accent, but he knew foreign languages, rules of etiquette and played the piano very well. Although what happened next may dispel any doubts about his substitution.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db6d52a6331c665fe7cc17/scale_1200
Josip Broz Tito
Tito was sure that Yugoslavia should develop independently, without any influence from the USSR.
As a result, by 1949 he had fallen out with Stalin. He accused Broz of betraying communism and contacts with the West. Then, economic separation began.
After the break in relations with the USSR, Tito immediately found new friends. In exchange for financial assistance from the USSR, loans came from the West. Then Tito launched reforms in the country aimed at strengthening market liberal relations.
Contacts with the USSR were restored after Stalin's death. And Tito continued to maneuver between the West and the East, while receiving good advantages in the sphere of trade and credit.
Moreover, Yugoslavia took a neutral position in the Cold War and became the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement.
What does this mean? Yugoslavia did not join any military bloc - neither NATO, nor the Warsaw Pact. The country moved along its own unique path.
And this was possible in a bipolar world. When there was a mighty USSR and a mighty United States, it was possible to remain neutral and get some benefit from it.
But after the collapse of the USSR, when the world became unipolar, under the Americans, such a large, strong and especially Slavic country as Yugoslavia became unnecessary to the West. Not only unnecessary, even dangerous, because it had influence. After all, it was a kind of prototype of Russia in the center of Europe, which defended its interests.
YUGOSLAV WARS
So, the Soviet Union fell, and problems began in the Balkans. Yes, of course, they had been there before, but the aggravation just happened at this time.
➡️ The Croats began to dream of independence,
➡️ The economically successful Slovenes were tired of their impoverished neighbors,
➡️ The Albanians demanded broad freedoms and also separation,
➡️ And the Serbs believed that their rights were being infringed. Plus, they were wildly afraid of losing Kosovo, which they considered (and still consider) the cradle of their people.
At the same time, in the mid-80s, Slobodan Milosevic became the chairman of the Serbian Communists, who liquidated the autonomous regions of Kosovo and Vojvodina in Serbia and put his people there. And then he tried in every way to preserve unity in the country.
But it didn't work out.
Slovenia and Croatia were the first to declare their withdrawal from Yugoslavia. This was announced in June 1991. Slovenia separated almost bloodlessly.
Then the entire civilized West quickly recognized the independence of this republic.
You see - then it was possible to recognize independence, but now it is not.
In addition, Europe warned Yugoslavia that it would cancel $1 billion in aid if they did not curtail armed operations to preserve the integrity of the state. That is, then they promised money if they stopped defending the integrity of the country, but now they promise money if they defend the integrity of their country.
The Americans also played their role.
If in the 80s the States still needed a strong Yugoslavia as a counterweight to the USSR and an example for the Eastern Bloc countries of how profitable it is to cooperate with the West, then in the conditions of the collapse of the socialist camp in a huge and independent state in the Balkans, the need disappeared.
And in general, the Soviet Union helped the workers of the entire West with its existence alone, since their leadership had to, so to speak, allocate double rations to the workers, so that they, God forbid, would not sympathize with the USSR. .. although they sympathized anyway.
After the collapse of the USSR, many problems for the bourgeoisie disappeared. Including flirting with Yugoslavia.
⏭ If Slovenia was lucky, Croatia has nothing to brag about.
In general, a lot can be understood about the relations between Serbs and Croats from one event: the “hate match” of 1990.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db6f67f9acc8146d19a590/scale_1200
Then the Serbian Red Star came to visit the Croatian Dynamo. The slaughter between the fans began before the game, and then moved to the football field. They fought both among themselves and with the police.
But the captain of the Croatian Dynamo showed himself the brightest of all. He jumped and hit one of the policemen in the jaw. By the way, the guy was not a Serb, but a Bosnian. That match not only killed Yugoslav football, but also unleashed a civil war between the fraternal nations.
Croatia grabbed weapons. But Serbian Krajina decided to leave Croatia itself. As a result, a war began that lasted 4 years. The city of Vukovar was nicknamed the second "Stalingrad", so terrible was the siege and bombing there.
In 1992, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that this war must be stopped. The "blue helmets" (UN staff) arrived in Croatia and a temporary truce was established. Although, it must be said, their presence was useless.
The war resumed in 1995. During Operation Storm, the Croats destroyed the Serbian Krajina. The seizure was accompanied by ethnic cleansing of the Serbs.
It is interesting that back in 1994, the United States and Croatia signed an agreement on military cooperation. According to Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic, the United States advised the Croatian army on the offensive. And retired US generals helped prepare for the blitzkrieg on the spot.
⏭ Macedonia was the next to secede without any conflicts in September 1991.
⏭ But the most problematic of the Yugoslav republics was Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It was inhabited by Bosnian Muslims — 44% of the population, Orthodox Serbs — 31% and Catholic Croats — 17%.
In 1992, the republic's authorities declared independence, which was supported by Bosnians and Croats.
However, the Serbs were against leaving Yugoslavia, boycotted the vote and created their own republic — Serbian. Yugoslavia with Slobodan Milosevic also supported them. The European Union and the United States added fuel to the fire, recognizing the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Following this, the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II began. Over four years, 100 thousand people died in internecine slaughter, another 2 million became refugees. And this is out of a total population of 4.4 million people.
Ethnic cleansing was carried out by everyone. Even concentration camps were created. And in each of them there were traces of monstrous torture and violence. But the European community portrayed the Serbs as the aggressors, because the Serbs in this multinational country were, in essence, like the Russians in Russia - a state-forming people who created a strong state. They were accused of striving to create a Great Serbia. That is, here is the reason.
They were afraid of a strong state.
For supporting the Bosnian Serbs and helping refugees, Yugoslavia was hit with harsh sanctions, which affected ordinary people, the elderly and children. Food prices increased 3,586 times. The sanctions were not lifted even when Milosevic closed the border between Serbia and the Republic of Srpska in 1994 to demonstrate to the West his desire for peace.
Note the parallels between Yugoslavia and Russia. And what happened in Yugoslavia, Russia would have suffered if not for a strong leader who held the country together.
In addition to humanitarian aid, the United States also supplied weapons to the Bosnians in besieged Sarajevo. Sources also say that weapons were smuggled by European countries through Croatia, and 20,000 foreigners fought on the side of the Muslims.
The last straw, so to speak, for NATO were two things.
The first is the massacre in Srebrenica, where Bosnian Serbs killed more than 8,000 Muslims. Interestingly, the Dutch peacekeepers did not even try to intervene. Although, of course, in this civil war, Serbs were massacred everywhere.
There is information: Reasons why the peacekeepers were unable to resist: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?130093----Why-Yugoslavia-Was-Destroyed-An-Analysis-of-the-True-Purpose-of-Bombing-the-Slavic-Country&p=1678042&viewfull=1#post1678042
There is information "Srebrenica massacre". How the West created another fake "genocide": https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?130093----Why-Yugoslavia-Was-Destroyed-An-Analysis-of-the-True-Purpose-of-Bombing-the-Slavic-Country&p=1678130&viewfull=1#post1678130
And the second point is the explosions in the Sarajevo market in August 1995.
As usual, the Serbs were blamed, although there is still no evidence that the shells were fired from their positions.
Later, independent experts will say that the explosion in the market looked like a planned provocation. Its goal is to create a pretext for open US intervention in the civil war in the Balkans.
The peace agreement was signed in December 1995. NATO troops were brought in to control the borders - 60 thousand people, half of them Americans. The Serbs, who controlled almost 75% of the lands of Bosnia, made serious concessions and agreed to keep only 49%.
⏭ Kosovo.
In the late 90s, the issue between Kosovo Albanians and Belgrade became acute.
By that time, only Montenegro and Serbia remained in Yugoslavia, within which was the rebellious Kosovo.
Kosovo's independence was declared back in 1991, but only Albania recognized it.
The "Kosovo Liberation Army" was formed not only from nationalists of the former Yugoslavia, but also from mujahideen of Islamic countries.
In the late 90s, its members were trained in Albania by instructors from the CIA and the British Special Air Service.
In 1998, the militants launched a guerrilla war, although clashes had begun even earlier. After they began attacking police and civilians, Yugoslavia brought the army into Kosovo. In response, NATO began to put pressure on Belgrade.
And here we need to understand an important thing: the Serbs did not start the war. They were trying to calm the uprisings that swept across their territory.
Ethnic cleansing began again and a flood of refugees poured in - 230 thousand Albanians alone.
Already in October, under pressure from NATO, the parties concluded a truce. Meanwhile, the alliance's planes patrolled the borders from the air. But in fact, instead of patrolling, they were collecting data: studying the infrastructure, air defense zones and the army's readiness to strike later.
The pretext under which NATO began the invasion also looked dubious. Namely: when, after the massacre in Racak in southern Kosovo, the bodies of 45 Albanians were found, the West declared them civilians and victims of genocide. And the Serbs claimed that they shot militants dressed in civilian clothes.
In any case, whatever it was, it served as a pretext to tighten the screws. NATO proposed that the Yugoslavs withdraw their troops from Kosovo.
The Yugoslavs refused because it was their land, their territory, and the withdrawal of troops would mean the surrender of Kosovo to the Albanians.
Well, in response, the United States and its vassals began bombing Yugoslavia.
And what about Slobodan Milosevic? Trying to save himself and the country, on April 12, 1999, he asked to join the union of Russia and Belarus. However, Russian President Boris Yeltsin blocked this process.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db7318fb98fa6a955dd6e0/scale_1200
Slobodan Milosevic
And what could Russia do at that moment?
Although there is one heroic moment of Russian paratroopers, who took control of the only Kosovo airport Slatina, preventing NATO forces from landing there. The operation went down in history as the "throw-march to Pristina". Then our military blocked the airport and, in fact, went into conflict with NATO.
But the British and Americans were simply afraid of our paratroopers and did not go into confrontation.
Later, an English officer will say that even if there was an order, they would not have gone against the Russians.
But, in fact, this is all that we helped the brotherly people with then.
And let me remind you that in 1914, to show that we will not let the Serbs be offended, the Russian Empire declared mobilization, went against Austria-Hungary and fought until the revolution of 1917.
In 2001, Slobodan Milosevic was transferred to the Hague as a war criminal. But he never lived to see the trial - he died in prison.
In 2016, Milosevic was acquitted.
Along with him, 142 other people were accused, 92 of whom were Serbs.
Milosevic is, of course, a controversial figure. But his last address to the Russians, which was quoted on our Novosti, is interesting: “Russians! I am now addressing all Russians, the residents of Ukraine and Belarus in the Balkans are also considered Russians. Look at us and remember - they will do the same to you when you become disunited and weaken. The West, a rabid chain dog, will grab your throat.
Brothers, remember the fate of Yugoslavia! Don’t let them do this to you.
Why do you need Europe, Russians? It is hard to find a more self-sufficient people than you. It is Europe that needs you, but not you that needs it."
Sounds like a testament, don't you agree?
WHAT'S THE RESULT?
Yugoslavia was torn apart into six independent states and unrecognized Kosovo.
❌ 4 of them: Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia are now full members of NATO.
❌ Croatia and Slovenia joined the European Union.
✔️ The West considers Serbia a pro-Russian link. It is the only country in Europe that has not joined the sanctions against Russia after the start of the operation in Ukraine.
❌ The Balkans continue to smolder, periodically reminding us of themselves.
Exactly 25 years ago, on March 24, 1999, the countries of the NATO military bloc, led by the United States, began bombing a country in the center of Europe - Yugoslavia.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db4345900713509ac224f4/scale_1200
The operation lasted 78 days and was carried out ⚠️ without the approval of the UN Security Council. That is, illegally, violating international law. If we put it correctly, then this is simply military aggression.
The US and its vassals simply attacked a sovereign country that posed no threat to them and was located more than 7,000 km away from the US.
Then, for the first time since World War II, the capital of an independent state became the target of bombing.
❌ The aircraft made more than 35,000 sorties. To make it clearer: NATO bombed Yugoslavia 450 times a day (!), dropping 23,000 bombs and missiles, and with them about 15 tons of uranium.
❌ Among the victims were more than 5,000 people, ⅔ of whom were civilians.
❌ Both military and civilian infrastructure were bombed: more than 1,500 settlements were turned into ruins.
❌ The material damage amounted to about $100 billion.
The Western invasion was the culmination of the Kosovo War - in fact, an uprising of Kosovo Albanians, who at the time wanted independence from Yugoslavia.
In essence, there was a civil war in Yugoslavia, and the United States sided with the numerous separatists, insisted on and contributed to the destruction of the country.
Yes, that's how hypocritical they are!
In that case, the United States not only supported separatism and the destruction of the country, they destroyed it themselves!
And today they are shouting from all the irons about inviolable borders, applicable to a neighboring country.
⚠️ Although, by the way, inviolable borders, according to international law, are the borders of the USSR ⚠️
And if we draw parallels to the end, so that you understand what kind of situation this is, then according to the logic of the United States, in 2014 they should have recognized the independence of Donbass, imposed sanctions against Ukraine and bombed Kyiv with uranium bombs.
Why do they have such diametrically different positions on, say, similar situations?
It's simple: the main thing for them is to weaken their enemy. In this case, it is a strong state. Where [they] need, they apply the principle of inviolability of borders (this is Ukraine), and where necessary - the right of self-determination of peoples (this is Serbia and Kosovo).
It's just that their goal is not to preserve peace or some kind of justice.
Their goal is to seize and retain power, and dominate in the future.
So, officially, the main objective of the bombing of Yugoslavia in the alliance was called "prevention of genocide".
Again, today they support all this on the territory known to us.
And then, supposedly, it was necessary to prevent genocide by bombing Belgrade with depleted uranium.
But naturally, NATO pursued other goals:
⏭ firstly, to strengthen its influence in the Balkans, to advance to the east - closer to the borders of Russia.
⏭ And secondly, to remove a strong geopolitical player - Yugoslavia, which can be compared with the USSR or Russia. The destruction of which for the West was a kind of rehearsal, training before a clash with a stronger rival - Russia.
And now let's look at the most interesting and important facts in this story.
Yugoslavia finally disintegrated in 2006 with the exit of Montenegro from the union.
And in 2008, Kosovo effectively gained its independence from Serbia.
Kosovo is often compared to Crimea and Donbass.
✔️ The situation here is this: when Kosovo separated from Serbia - once the central region of Yugoslavia, the United States of America and its vassals argued that this was right, that this was the right of the people to self-determination.
❌ But when it came to Crimea and Donbass, this - for them - turned out to be wrong, this is separatism and a violation of the integrity of the country.
Such are the double standards.
But there were many more regions that were part of Yugoslavia.
Long before these sad events, Yugoslavia was known for its rapid growth rates:
✅ From 1952 to 1979, its GDP increased by 6% per year.
✅ The standard of living during this time tripled: salaries grew, people were allowed to travel freely.
✅ There was no so-called Iron Curtain or shortages.
✅ Yugoslav goods were considered elite in the USSR.
There were long lines for boots and sheepskin coats.
I think russian remembers the famous walls that were in every Soviet apartment.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db46763474ef16c09886c3/scale_1200
But the idyll in Yugoslavia did not last long. This country, unlike the Soviet Union, fell apart in a very bloody way.
❓ How are these events connected?
❓ Who is to blame?
❓ And why did this advanced country of its time fall apart?
FROM MONARCHY TO COMMUNISM
What was Yugoslavia anyway?
In 1918, after the First World War, Serbia was among the victors and actually became the basis to which other Yugoslav territories and peoples were annexed: Croats, Albanians, Slovenes, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Bosnians.
The borders were drawn so that people of different nationalities lived together. In general, it turned out to be a multinational, but generally Slavic country.
In general, these peoples were so tired of the Ottoman yoke - on the one hand, and the Austro-Hungarian - on the other, that the creation of a single state was a good alternative. But the unification was more like a patchwork quilt that was about to burst at the seams.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db4713ce4d2a4c9fb79f13/scale_1200
And there were serious contradictions, both ethnic and religious. Which manifested itself during the years of World War II.
Well, and World War I began precisely on the lands that later became Yugoslavia.
In June 1914, in Bosnia, which at that time was part of Austria-Hungary, the Serb Gavrilo Princip killed the former Duke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary.
Then Austria-Hungary attacked Serbia.
Russia stood up for its "younger brother" and began mobilization.
In response, Germany declared war.
Well, and then for 4 years 38 countries fought with each other and redrew the map of the world.
As was said, in the end, Serbia was among the victors.
In World War II, Yugoslavia was again torn apart by Nazi countries.
Germany formally declared only Serbia its enemy, which played on the national problems in the country.
Croatian nationalists - the Ustasha - immediately agreed to help Germany. Croatia gained independence, on whose territory the genocide began, which killed 800 thousand people.
Death camps were created in which Serbs were exterminated. In the most famous of them - "Jasenovac" - they even held a competition of dexterity among the executioners.
And the winner was this young man - Petar Brzica, who slaughtered 1,360 prisoners in just one night. For which he received the nickname King Serboracer.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db48011759d95956985c5f/scale_1200
Petar Brzica
Petar, by the way, was never punished. After the war, he took refuge (where else could the Nazis hide?), of course, in America - in the United States. And the American authorities refused to extradite him.
In response to the occupation, a powerful partisan movement developed in Yugoslavia. The liberation army was led by the communist Josip Broz, nicknamed Tito. By the middle of the war, Tito, a Croatian by nationality, had gathered 300 thousand people around him. And he enlisted the support of both Britain and the USSR.
In 1944, the Red Army helped liberate Belgrade.
And in 1945, the partisans completely rid the country of the fascists.
Yugoslavia became a federation, which included six socialist republics: Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db6c3709844609ab2652ce/scale_1200
In addition, Serbia included two autonomous regions - Kosovo and Vojvodina.
And at the head was the same leader of the resistance - Josip Tito.
THE TITO ERA
Tito ruled the country for 35 years.
At first, everything in Yugoslavia was done according to the Soviet model: collectivization, industrialization and state planning. And order was established exclusively by Stalin's methods. Thus, Yugoslavia was to become almost the main partner of the USSR in the socialist camp.
By the way, there is even a theory that during a trip to Moscow in 1935, the real Tito was replaced by a double - a Soviet agent. As evidence, they cited odd behavior that was not typical of a simple mechanic, which Tito was in his youth. He began to speak Serbo-Croatian with an accent, but he knew foreign languages, rules of etiquette and played the piano very well. Although what happened next may dispel any doubts about his substitution.
https://avatars.dzeninfra.ru/get-zen_doc/271828/pub_65c63e699472bd500487a9cd_65db6d52a6331c665fe7cc17/scale_1200
Josip Broz Tito
Tito was sure that Yugoslavia should develop independently, without any influence from the USSR.
As a result, by 1949 he had fallen out with Stalin. He accused Broz of betraying communism and contacts with the West. Then, economic separation began.
After the break in relations with the USSR, Tito immediately found new friends. In exchange for financial assistance from the USSR, loans came from the West. Then Tito launched reforms in the country aimed at strengthening market liberal relations.
Contacts with the USSR were restored after Stalin's death. And Tito continued to maneuver between the West and the East, while receiving good advantages in the sphere of trade and credit.
Moreover, Yugoslavia took a neutral position in the Cold War and became the leader of the Non-Aligned Movement.
What does this mean? Yugoslavia did not join any military bloc - neither NATO, nor the Warsaw Pact. The country moved along its own unique path.
And this was possible in a bipolar world. When there was a mighty USSR and a mighty United States, it was possible to remain neutral and get some benefit from it.
But after the collapse of the USSR, when the world became unipolar, under the Americans, such a large, strong and especially Slavic country as Yugoslavia became unnecessary to the West. Not only unnecessary, even dangerous, because it had influence. After all, it was a kind of prototype of Russia in the center of Europe, which defended its interests.
YUGOSLAV WARS
So, the Soviet Union fell, and problems began in the Balkans. Yes, of course, they had been there before, but the aggravation just happened at this time.
➡️ The Croats began to dream of independence,
➡️ The economically successful Slovenes were tired of their impoverished neighbors,
➡️ The Albanians demanded broad freedoms and also separation,
➡️ And the Serbs believed that their rights were being infringed. Plus, they were wildly afraid of losing Kosovo, which they considered (and still consider) the cradle of their people.
At the same time, in the mid-80s, Slobodan Milosevic became the chairman of the Serbian Communists, who liquidated the autonomous regions of Kosovo and Vojvodina in Serbia and put his people there. And then he tried in every way to preserve unity in the country.
But it didn't work out.
Slovenia and Croatia were the first to declare their withdrawal from Yugoslavia. This was announced in June 1991. Slovenia separated almost bloodlessly.
Then the entire civilized West quickly recognized the independence of this republic.
You see - then it was possible to recognize independence, but now it is not.
In addition, Europe warned Yugoslavia that it would cancel $1 billion in aid if they did not curtail armed operations to preserve the integrity of the state. That is, then they promised money if they stopped defending the integrity of the country, but now they promise money if they defend the integrity of their country.
The Americans also played their role.
If in the 80s the States still needed a strong Yugoslavia as a counterweight to the USSR and an example for the Eastern Bloc countries of how profitable it is to cooperate with the West, then in the conditions of the collapse of the socialist camp in a huge and independent state in the Balkans, the need disappeared.
And in general, the Soviet Union helped the workers of the entire West with its existence alone, since their leadership had to, so to speak, allocate double rations to the workers, so that they, God forbid, would not sympathize with the USSR. .. although they sympathized anyway.
After the collapse of the USSR, many problems for the bourgeoisie disappeared. Including flirting with Yugoslavia.
⏭ If Slovenia was lucky, Croatia has nothing to brag about.
In general, a lot can be understood about the relations between Serbs and Croats from one event: the “hate match” of 1990.
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Then the Serbian Red Star came to visit the Croatian Dynamo. The slaughter between the fans began before the game, and then moved to the football field. They fought both among themselves and with the police.
But the captain of the Croatian Dynamo showed himself the brightest of all. He jumped and hit one of the policemen in the jaw. By the way, the guy was not a Serb, but a Bosnian. That match not only killed Yugoslav football, but also unleashed a civil war between the fraternal nations.
Croatia grabbed weapons. But Serbian Krajina decided to leave Croatia itself. As a result, a war began that lasted 4 years. The city of Vukovar was nicknamed the second "Stalingrad", so terrible was the siege and bombing there.
In 1992, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that this war must be stopped. The "blue helmets" (UN staff) arrived in Croatia and a temporary truce was established. Although, it must be said, their presence was useless.
The war resumed in 1995. During Operation Storm, the Croats destroyed the Serbian Krajina. The seizure was accompanied by ethnic cleansing of the Serbs.
It is interesting that back in 1994, the United States and Croatia signed an agreement on military cooperation. According to Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic, the United States advised the Croatian army on the offensive. And retired US generals helped prepare for the blitzkrieg on the spot.
⏭ Macedonia was the next to secede without any conflicts in September 1991.
⏭ But the most problematic of the Yugoslav republics was Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It was inhabited by Bosnian Muslims — 44% of the population, Orthodox Serbs — 31% and Catholic Croats — 17%.
In 1992, the republic's authorities declared independence, which was supported by Bosnians and Croats.
However, the Serbs were against leaving Yugoslavia, boycotted the vote and created their own republic — Serbian. Yugoslavia with Slobodan Milosevic also supported them. The European Union and the United States added fuel to the fire, recognizing the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Following this, the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II began. Over four years, 100 thousand people died in internecine slaughter, another 2 million became refugees. And this is out of a total population of 4.4 million people.
Ethnic cleansing was carried out by everyone. Even concentration camps were created. And in each of them there were traces of monstrous torture and violence. But the European community portrayed the Serbs as the aggressors, because the Serbs in this multinational country were, in essence, like the Russians in Russia - a state-forming people who created a strong state. They were accused of striving to create a Great Serbia. That is, here is the reason.
They were afraid of a strong state.
For supporting the Bosnian Serbs and helping refugees, Yugoslavia was hit with harsh sanctions, which affected ordinary people, the elderly and children. Food prices increased 3,586 times. The sanctions were not lifted even when Milosevic closed the border between Serbia and the Republic of Srpska in 1994 to demonstrate to the West his desire for peace.
Note the parallels between Yugoslavia and Russia. And what happened in Yugoslavia, Russia would have suffered if not for a strong leader who held the country together.
In addition to humanitarian aid, the United States also supplied weapons to the Bosnians in besieged Sarajevo. Sources also say that weapons were smuggled by European countries through Croatia, and 20,000 foreigners fought on the side of the Muslims.
The last straw, so to speak, for NATO were two things.
The first is the massacre in Srebrenica, where Bosnian Serbs killed more than 8,000 Muslims. Interestingly, the Dutch peacekeepers did not even try to intervene. Although, of course, in this civil war, Serbs were massacred everywhere.
There is information: Reasons why the peacekeepers were unable to resist: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?130093----Why-Yugoslavia-Was-Destroyed-An-Analysis-of-the-True-Purpose-of-Bombing-the-Slavic-Country&p=1678042&viewfull=1#post1678042
There is information "Srebrenica massacre". How the West created another fake "genocide": https://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?130093----Why-Yugoslavia-Was-Destroyed-An-Analysis-of-the-True-Purpose-of-Bombing-the-Slavic-Country&p=1678130&viewfull=1#post1678130
And the second point is the explosions in the Sarajevo market in August 1995.
As usual, the Serbs were blamed, although there is still no evidence that the shells were fired from their positions.
Later, independent experts will say that the explosion in the market looked like a planned provocation. Its goal is to create a pretext for open US intervention in the civil war in the Balkans.
The peace agreement was signed in December 1995. NATO troops were brought in to control the borders - 60 thousand people, half of them Americans. The Serbs, who controlled almost 75% of the lands of Bosnia, made serious concessions and agreed to keep only 49%.
⏭ Kosovo.
In the late 90s, the issue between Kosovo Albanians and Belgrade became acute.
By that time, only Montenegro and Serbia remained in Yugoslavia, within which was the rebellious Kosovo.
Kosovo's independence was declared back in 1991, but only Albania recognized it.
The "Kosovo Liberation Army" was formed not only from nationalists of the former Yugoslavia, but also from mujahideen of Islamic countries.
In the late 90s, its members were trained in Albania by instructors from the CIA and the British Special Air Service.
In 1998, the militants launched a guerrilla war, although clashes had begun even earlier. After they began attacking police and civilians, Yugoslavia brought the army into Kosovo. In response, NATO began to put pressure on Belgrade.
And here we need to understand an important thing: the Serbs did not start the war. They were trying to calm the uprisings that swept across their territory.
Ethnic cleansing began again and a flood of refugees poured in - 230 thousand Albanians alone.
Already in October, under pressure from NATO, the parties concluded a truce. Meanwhile, the alliance's planes patrolled the borders from the air. But in fact, instead of patrolling, they were collecting data: studying the infrastructure, air defense zones and the army's readiness to strike later.
The pretext under which NATO began the invasion also looked dubious. Namely: when, after the massacre in Racak in southern Kosovo, the bodies of 45 Albanians were found, the West declared them civilians and victims of genocide. And the Serbs claimed that they shot militants dressed in civilian clothes.
In any case, whatever it was, it served as a pretext to tighten the screws. NATO proposed that the Yugoslavs withdraw their troops from Kosovo.
The Yugoslavs refused because it was their land, their territory, and the withdrawal of troops would mean the surrender of Kosovo to the Albanians.
Well, in response, the United States and its vassals began bombing Yugoslavia.
And what about Slobodan Milosevic? Trying to save himself and the country, on April 12, 1999, he asked to join the union of Russia and Belarus. However, Russian President Boris Yeltsin blocked this process.
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Slobodan Milosevic
And what could Russia do at that moment?
Although there is one heroic moment of Russian paratroopers, who took control of the only Kosovo airport Slatina, preventing NATO forces from landing there. The operation went down in history as the "throw-march to Pristina". Then our military blocked the airport and, in fact, went into conflict with NATO.
But the British and Americans were simply afraid of our paratroopers and did not go into confrontation.
Later, an English officer will say that even if there was an order, they would not have gone against the Russians.
But, in fact, this is all that we helped the brotherly people with then.
And let me remind you that in 1914, to show that we will not let the Serbs be offended, the Russian Empire declared mobilization, went against Austria-Hungary and fought until the revolution of 1917.
In 2001, Slobodan Milosevic was transferred to the Hague as a war criminal. But he never lived to see the trial - he died in prison.
In 2016, Milosevic was acquitted.
Along with him, 142 other people were accused, 92 of whom were Serbs.
Milosevic is, of course, a controversial figure. But his last address to the Russians, which was quoted on our Novosti, is interesting: “Russians! I am now addressing all Russians, the residents of Ukraine and Belarus in the Balkans are also considered Russians. Look at us and remember - they will do the same to you when you become disunited and weaken. The West, a rabid chain dog, will grab your throat.
Brothers, remember the fate of Yugoslavia! Don’t let them do this to you.
Why do you need Europe, Russians? It is hard to find a more self-sufficient people than you. It is Europe that needs you, but not you that needs it."
Sounds like a testament, don't you agree?
WHAT'S THE RESULT?
Yugoslavia was torn apart into six independent states and unrecognized Kosovo.
❌ 4 of them: Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro and North Macedonia are now full members of NATO.
❌ Croatia and Slovenia joined the European Union.
✔️ The West considers Serbia a pro-Russian link. It is the only country in Europe that has not joined the sanctions against Russia after the start of the operation in Ukraine.
❌ The Balkans continue to smolder, periodically reminding us of themselves.