France halts Russia warship delivery

[mania]

I hope France terminates this contract completely.

If someone thinks that you can do business with someone who threatens and lie you ... sobering going to be very painful.

We, the Westerners, should finally realize that Russia(Putin's regime) is an enemy; autocratic, oligarchic and expansionist state ruled by former KGB agent.

You know I can sympathize with what your saying & understand where your coming from but.........

In this case it is France that is being dishonerable

They made a contract with Russia for XX ships for XXX dollars

I am pretty sure they knew who Russia was when they made the agreement.....history.... foreign policy etc.

I do not think they thought Russia is buying war ships to use in parades.

Also I highly doubt anywhere in the contract did it say at anytime if we decide your acting improperly anywhere in

the world we reserve the right to dishonor this contract.

Instead it is likely France is paying back a favor to someone else...Maybe USA for Libya help etc.

But in this case my opinion is it is France who is acting childish/foolish etc.

But at the end of the day if they honorably return the deposit or what ever has been paid I guess it is their choice.

Surely they also realize every action has a reaction. They took Russia's business for a reason

they may later miss that business............ or not

Edited September 5, 2014 by mania

[craigt3365]

I hope France terminates this contract completely.

If someone thinks that you can do business with someone who threatens and lie you ... sobering going to be very painful.

We, the Westerners, should finally realize that Russia(Putin's regime) is an enemy; autocratic, oligarchic and expansionist state ruled by former KGB agent.

You know I can sympathize with what your saying & understand where your coming from but.........

In this case it is France that is being dishonerable

They made a contract with Russia for XX ships for XXX dollars

I am pretty sure they knew who Russia was when they made the agreement.....history.... foreign policy etc.

I do not think they thought Russia is buying war ships to use in parades.

Also I highly doubt anywhere in the contract did it say at anytime if we decide your acting improperly anywhere in

the world we reserve the right to dishonor this contract.

Instead it is likely France is paying back a favor to someone else...Maybe USA for Libya help etc.

But in this case my opinion is it is France who is acting childish/foolish etc.

But at the end of the day if they honorably return the deposit or what ever has been paid I guess it is their choice.

Surely they also realize every action has a reaction. They took Russia's business for a reason

they may later miss that business............ or not

I'm guessing it's something to do with the EU's policy on military aggression. France is part of the EU and has to abide by Brussels ruling.

Easy for the ships to be delivered to Russia. They just have to stop their support of the rebels in Ukraine. All this silliness would stop.

[mania]

I'm guessing it's something to do with the EU's policy on military aggression. France is part of the EU and has to abide by Brussels ruling.

Easy for the ships to be delivered to Russia. They just have to stop their support of the rebels in Ukraine. All this silliness would stop.

Thanks craig did not know that

It is not a bad policy & too bad it cannot be held against all countries that aid & abet

Albeit when it suits some countries they just call the rebels they back freedom fighter & give them arms....

only later to then usually call them terrorist & try to disarm/collect those arms back one round at a time

Mad mad world at times isn't it?

Edited September 5, 2014 by mania

[BATHIK]

Lovetotravel, EU in this case was following US lead. First US forced untied line on Ukraine on them and then the opposition to the sale followed.

Today Porosenok and rebels are going to sign a ceasefire agreement, about 6PM Thai time, if it works as planned sanctions will be withdrawn and French will go ahead with delivery.

[simple1]

Off topic:

Australian naval building projects have suffered from poor performance & delivery; from the URL below:

"The future of naval shipbuilding in Australia hangs in the balance after the Abbott Government excluded local yards from a major new contract due to poor project performance"

http://www.news.com.au/technology/naval-shipbuilding-in-australia-in-limbo-as-the-abbott-government-sends-contracts-offshore/story-e6frfrnr-1226946226481

[lovetotravel]

Lovetotravel, EU in this case was following US lead. First US forced untied line on Ukraine on them and then the opposition to the sale followed.

Today Porosenok and rebels are going to sign a ceasefire agreement, about 6PM Thai time, if it works as planned sanctions will be withdrawn and French will go ahead with delivery.

If the EU didn't believe in sanctions, they wouldn't do them. No matter what the US does. The US pressured the EU I'm sure. But forced? No way.

Perhaps there's a reason they are all agreeing on this one? It's a fact Russia is at least providing military hardware to the rebels. And it's a fact Russian soldiers are there. Though Russia says they are just on holiday! LOL. Luckily, the world isn't fooled that easily.

The ceasefire is only the beginning. Foreign soldiers need to leave Ukraine. And then there's Crimea. When will the Russians "un-annex" that area? LOL

[Pakboong]

Lovetotravel, EU in this case was following US lead. First US forced untied line on Ukraine on them and then the opposition to the sale followed.

Today Porosenok and rebels are going to sign a ceasefire agreement, about 6PM Thai time, if it works as planned sanctions will be withdrawn and French will go ahead with delivery.

If the EU didn't believe in sanctions, they wouldn't do them. No matter what the US does. The US pressured the EU I'm sure. But forced? No way.

Perhaps there's a reason they are all agreeing on this one? It's a fact Russia is at least providing military hardware to the rebels. And it's a fact Russian soldiers are there. Though Russia says they are just on holiday! LOL. Luckily, the world isn't fooled that easily.

The ceasefire is only the beginning. Foreign soldiers need to leave Ukraine. And then there's Crimea. When will the Russians "un-annex" that area? LOL

Don't hold your breath that the cease fire will last. A lot at stake here.

[BATHIK]

If the EU didn't believe in sanctions, they wouldn't do them. No matter what the US does. The US pressured the EU I'm sure. But forced? No way.

Perhaps there's a reason they are all agreeing on this one? It's a fact Russia is at least providing military hardware to the rebels. And it's a fact Russian soldiers are there. Though Russia says they are just on holiday! LOL. Luckily, the world isn't fooled that easily.

The ceasefire is only the beginning. Foreign soldiers need to leave Ukraine. And then there's Crimea. When will the Russians "un-annex" that area? LOL

US pressured, US forced - semantics, Europeans found themselves hostages to US policy on Ukraine, or rather hostages to their governments caving in to US pressure.

Russian soldiers in Ukraine are not under Russian command, they are on leave, vacationing, volunteering, making a quick buck, it's not Russian army in Ukraine, and from rebels pov they are not foreign soldiers and are welcome to stay as long as they want.

Ceasefire is only the beginning, you are right, next Poroshenko needs to concede Crimea and Donbass and hope he will not be crucified at home.

Russians, from the looks of it, would like to leave Donbass in Ukraine but with veto power on critical issues like membership in Nato. If Ukraine wants to keep Donbass it would never be truly free from Russian influence.

Politics have become completely reversed on this one. Officially Ukraine wants preserve its current borders and Russians want it, too, but on conditions unacceptable to Kiev so we will have a game of "you take it - no you take it - no, you wanted it first".

Rebels, for their part, want to consolidate their military gains and will not accept Kiev's rule unless Russia twists their arms.

Edited September 5, 2014 by BATHIK

[Matej]

I hope France terminates this contract completely.

If someone thinks that you can do business with someone who threatens and lie you ... sobering going to be very painful.

We, the Westerners, should finally realize that Russia(Putin's regime) is an enemy; autocratic, oligarchic and expansionist state ruled by former KGB agent.

You know I can sympathize with what your saying & understand where your coming from but.........

In this case it is France that is being dishonerable

They made a contract with Russia for XX ships for XXX dollars

I am pretty sure they knew who Russia was when they made the agreement.....history.... foreign policy etc.

I do not think they thought Russia is buying war ships to use in parades.

Also I highly doubt anywhere in the contract did it say at anytime if we decide your acting improperly anywhere in

the world we reserve the right to dishonor this contract.

Instead it is likely France is paying back a favor to someone else...Maybe USA for Libya help etc.

But in this case my opinion is it is France who is acting childish/foolish etc.

But at the end of the day if they honorably return the deposit or what ever has been paid I guess it is their choice.

Surely they also realize every action has a reaction. They took Russia's business for a reason

they may later miss that business............ or not

I'm guessing it's something to do with the EU's policy on military aggression. France is part of the EU and has to abide by Brussels ruling.

Easy for the ships to be delivered to Russia. They just have to stop their support of the rebels in Ukraine. All this silliness would stop.

France don't have to abide Brussels, France is a part of Brussels. Brussels is we. We, England, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia and so on.

EU parliament, commission, council ... are democratic institution.

This has nothing to do with where am I from. Saying NO to Vladimir Putin's regime is not russophobia.

Putin's regime is a tragedy for the Russian people. They overthrew the USSR, under which they had suffered more than anyone

else. But they have had the fruits of victory snatched away by the kleptocratic ex-KGB regime ... so called, elite, politicians, businessmen.

Of course this contract is about money and profit.

It's naive to think that Putin will stop, he is playing only games with Porosenko and the West.

He can't stop, because it would mean that russian army was defeated. What would he say to russian nationalists?

His propaganda, part of it, would fall apart.

[lovetotravel]

If the EU didn't believe in sanctions, they wouldn't do them. No matter what the US does. The US pressured the EU I'm sure. But forced? No way.

Perhaps there's a reason they are all agreeing on this one? It's a fact Russia is at least providing military hardware to the rebels. And it's a fact Russian soldiers are there. Though Russia says they are just on holiday! LOL. Luckily, the world isn't fooled that easily.

The ceasefire is only the beginning. Foreign soldiers need to leave Ukraine. And then there's Crimea. When will the Russians "un-annex" that area? LOL

US pressured, US forced - semantics, Europeans found themselves hostages to US policy on Ukraine, or rather hostages to their governments caving in to US pressure.

Russian soldiers in Ukraine are not under Russian command, they are on leave, vacationing, volunteering, making a quick buck, it's not Russian army in Ukraine, and from rebels pov they are not foreign soldiers and are welcome to stay as long as they want.

Ceasefire is only the beginning, you are right, next Poroshenko needs to concede Crimea and Donbass and hope he will not be crucified at home.

Russians, from the looks of it, would like to leave Donbass in Ukraine but with veto power on critical issues like membership in Nato. If Ukraine wants to keep Donbass it would never be truly free from Russian influence.

Politics have become completely reversed on this one. Officially Ukraine wants preserve its current borders and Russians want it, too, but on conditions unacceptable to Kiev so we will have a game of "you take it - no you take it - no, you wanted it first".

Rebels, for their part, want to consolidate their military gains and will not accept Kiev's rule unless Russia twists their arms.

You sound like the Russian media, the way they are spinning this. Nobody believes this other than the Russians. Actually, the Russians are being force fed propaganda as there's no freedom of speech there. Russian soldiers in Ukraine NOT under Russian control? On "holiday"? Impossible. No way. No civilized country would allow their soldiers to go to war in a neighboring country. Civilized being the key word.

Concede part of their sovereign territory? I'm not sure where you are from, but would your country allow that to happen? No way. Impossible. Your country would fight for their land, just like the Ukraine people are.

This would have never become a problem if Russia would have kept their nose out of it. I feel sorry for Ukraine. They've got enough problems without having to deal with a megalomaniac like Putin.

[Matej]

If the EU didn't believe in sanctions, they wouldn't do them. No matter what the US does. The US pressured the EU I'm sure. But forced? No way.

Perhaps there's a reason they are all agreeing on this one? It's a fact Russia is at least providing military hardware to the rebels. And it's a fact Russian soldiers are there. Though Russia says they are just on holiday! LOL. Luckily, the world isn't fooled that easily.

The ceasefire is only the beginning. Foreign soldiers need to leave Ukraine. And then there's Crimea. When will the Russians "un-annex" that area? LOL

US pressured, US forced - semantics, Europeans found themselves hostages to US policy on Ukraine, or rather hostages to their governments caving in to US pressure.

Russian soldiers in Ukraine are not under Russian command, they are on leave, vacationing, volunteering, making a quick buck, it's not Russian army in Ukraine, and from rebels pov they are not foreign soldiers and are welcome to stay as long as they want.

Ceasefire is only the beginning, you are right, next Poroshenko needs to concede Crimea and Donbass and hope he will not be crucified at home.

Russians, from the looks of it, would like to leave Donbass in Ukraine but with veto power on critical issues like membership in Nato. If Ukraine wants to keep Donbass it would never be truly free from Russian influence.

Politics have become completely reversed on this one. Officially Ukraine wants preserve its current borders and Russians want it, too, but on conditions unacceptable to Kiev so we will have a game of "you take it - no you take it - no, you wanted it first".

Rebels, for their part, want to consolidate their military gains and will not accept Kiev's rule unless Russia twists their arms.

What are you smoking/reading? We want your weed/RIA novosti, ITAR-TASS(I'm sorry TASS) newspapers.

Now seriously. If you really want to learn something about (geo)politics and why the world looks how it looks.

Try scientific books about history of 20th century. For example: Modern Times: A History of the World from the 1920s to the 1980s by Paul Johnson it's a good start. I recommend this book to everyone not only to Russian people. Cheers.

Edited September 5, 2014 by Matej

[BATHIK]

You sound like the Russian media, the way they are spinning this. Nobody believes this other than the Russians. Actually, the Russians are being force fed propaganda as there's no freedom of speech there. Russian soldiers in Ukraine NOT under Russian control? On "holiday"? Impossible. No way. No civilized country would allow their soldiers to go to war in a neighboring country. Civilized being the key word.

Concede part of their sovereign territory? I'm not sure where you are from, but would your country allow that to happen? No way. Impossible. Your country would fight for their land, just like the Ukraine people are.

This would have never become a problem if Russia would have kept their nose out of it. I feel sorry for Ukraine. They've got enough problems without having to deal with a megalomaniac like Putin.

No one has ever seen Russian soldiers in Ukraine, expect that dozen lost ones that have been released already. People *assume* rebel fighters have Russian soldiers, which is true in case of volunteers and soldiers on leave, but if they are under rebel command they do not make "Russian army".

Russia shouldn't have allowed its soldiers to take leave and join rebels? It's not how it works, they provide as much covert support like this as necessary. it's par for the game.

Ukraine is going to concede territory, they already lost, it's gone. The sooner they admit to this new reality the sooner life in that region can return to normalcy.

Russian nose got involved after Maidan.

[Matej]

You sound like the Russian media, the way they are spinning this. Nobody believes this other than the Russians. Actually, the Russians are being force fed propaganda as there's no freedom of speech there. Russian soldiers in Ukraine NOT under Russian control? On "holiday"? Impossible. No way. No civilized country would allow their soldiers to go to war in a neighboring country. Civilized being the key word.

Concede part of their sovereign territory? I'm not sure where you are from, but would your country allow that to happen? No way. Impossible. Your country would fight for their land, just like the Ukraine people are.

This would have never become a problem if Russia would have kept their nose out of it. I feel sorry for Ukraine. They've got enough problems without having to deal with a megalomaniac like Putin.

No one has ever seen Russian soldiers in Ukraine, expect that dozen lost ones that have been released already. People *assume* rebel fighters have Russian soldiers, which is true in case of volunteers and soldiers on leave, but if they are under rebel command they do not make "Russian army".

Russia shouldn't have allowed its soldiers to take leave and join rebels? It's not how it works, they provide as much covert support like this as necessary. it's par for the game.

Ukraine is going to concede territory, they already lost, it's gone. The sooner they admit to this new reality the sooner life in that region can return to normalcy.

Russian nose got involved after Maidan.

No one has ever seen Russian soldiers in Ukraine?

Do you really believe in what you are saying?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/25/putin-s-crimean-medal-of-honor-forged-before-the-war-even-began.html

[BATHIK]

A medal for Crimea as evidence for "thousands of Russian troops" invading Ukraine now?

Russians had 16,000 troops stationed in Crimea and everybody knew they came out to blockade Ukrainian military bases etc.

I was talking about current fighting in Donbass.

It's "there are WMDs in Iraq" all over again now, pushed by the same actors, same American neo-cons and amplified through the same media in exactly the same way.

[transam]

Why is the west building/constructing weapons/war machines for the known "enemy".........

[Matej]

A medal for Crimea as evidence for "thousands of Russian troops" invading Ukraine now?

Russians had 16,000 troops stationed in Crimea and everybody knew they came out to blockade Ukrainian military bases etc.

I was talking about current fighting in Donbass.

It's "there are WMDs in Iraq" all over again now, pushed by the same actors, same American neo-cons and amplified through the same media in exactly the same way.

No one knows that, only Russian.

[losworld]

Who needs these white elephants when a missile at a fraction of the cost can knock them out. Anyone with brains would be building an automated missile and drone dominated armed force that can be mechanized at a fraction of the cost. Tanks, destroyers and carriers are all dead weight with new technology.

[BATHIK]

I mentioned earlier that French designed these ships to pacify Africans, who presumably don't have missiles capable of hitting them off their coast. I don't know why Russians want them now, officially it's to send ground troops to Kuril islands, I guess if Japanese decide to take them back by force. Second ship is also going to Far East, the other two I have no idea.

Ceasefire agreement has been signed, should go into effect right about now.

[mania]

Why is the west building/constructing weapons/war machines for the known "enemy".........

Same reason as always.............$$$

Money to be made supplying tools of the trade.

[lovetotravel]

You sound like the Russian media, the way they are spinning this. Nobody believes this other than the Russians. Actually, the Russians are being force fed propaganda as there's no freedom of speech there. Russian soldiers in Ukraine NOT under Russian control? On "holiday"? Impossible. No way. No civilized country would allow their soldiers to go to war in a neighboring country. Civilized being the key word.

Concede part of their sovereign territory? I'm not sure where you are from, but would your country allow that to happen? No way. Impossible. Your country would fight for their land, just like the Ukraine people are.

This would have never become a problem if Russia would have kept their nose out of it. I feel sorry for Ukraine. They've got enough problems without having to deal with a megalomaniac like Putin.

No one has ever seen Russian soldiers in Ukraine, expect that dozen lost ones that have been released already. People *assume* rebel fighters have Russian soldiers, which is true in case of volunteers and soldiers on leave, but if they are under rebel command they do not make "Russian army".

Russia shouldn't have allowed its soldiers to take leave and join rebels? It's not how it works, they provide as much covert support like this as necessary. it's par for the game.

Ukraine is going to concede territory, they already lost, it's gone. The sooner they admit to this new reality the sooner life in that region can return to normalcy.

Russian nose got involved after Maidan.

You say no one has ever seen Russian soldiers in Ukraine, and then you say except for the dozen "lost" ones that were released. Or the ones from Russia that are there on vacation. This is clear evidence Russian citizens are in another country's sovereign territory fighting their citizens. Illegal. And an act of war.

If Turkish soldiers (on vacation ) were caught fighting in Greece, what do you think would happen? It'd be an all out war, and for good reason.

You're being silly here or just trolling for fun. Because your comments are becoming hilarious.

[BATHIK]

The "lost dozen" weren't fighting, they were confirmed as Russian servicemen and once their status was established they were released. That's what Ukraine does when it finds real Russian troops. The rest are volunteering at their own risk.

There was a discussion here about that episode in Kosovo where 300 Russian peacekeepers seized the airport in Pristina. No one dared to confront them militarily because they had the power of Russian state behind them. When Ukrainians find Russian volunteers in Donbass the attitude is completely different, they know this is not Russian army, no one will come to their rescue and they are fair game to destroy with prejudice. They can be killed by thousands and Russia won't say a word, won't even acknowledge their existence.

Call them volunteers, call them mercenaries, call them terrorists - they are not Russian army.

[lovetotravel]

Sorry, but they are from the Russian army.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/26/russian-soldiers-captured-pro-moscow-rebels-ukraine

Ukraine's state security service said on Monday it had detained 10 Russian paratroopers who had crossed into Ukrainian territory from Russia in a column of several dozen armed infantry vehicles.

In footage posted on the official Facebook page of the Ukrainian government's "anti-terrorist operation", the men were shown dressed in camouflage fatigues.

One of them, who identified himself as Ivan Milchakov, listed his personal details, including the name of the paratroop regiment he said was based in the Russian town of Kostroma.

"I did not see where we crossed the border. They just told us we were going on a 70km march over three days," he said.

[Matej]

This is that "lost dozen" which has been released back to Russia already. It's been mentioned three times already, including by you, Lovetotravel. Why did you bring it up again? To prove what?

Once Ukrainians established that it was a regular Russian army unit following Russian army orders they negotiated their return to Russia, unharmed.

When they capture rebels they either kill or torture them precisely because rebels are NOT Russian army. Ukrainian politicians are just blowing hot air for the public with their "Russian invasion" crap.

When they capture rebels they either kill or torture them precisely because rebels are NOT Russian army.

Where are you from? Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan?

No one believes you here. You don't see that or what?

Stop trolling ...

Edited September 6, 2014 by Matej

[Thongkorn]

Why is the west building/constructing weapons/war machines for the known "enemy".........

you only sell obsolete equipment, you keep the better and more modern equipment, and you Know the capability of the equipment. you sell.

[craigt3365]

No rumors, please. Only credible news sources allowed.

[Publicus]

A medal for Crimea as evidence for "thousands of Russian troops" invading Ukraine now?

Russians had 16,000 troops stationed in Crimea and everybody knew they came out to blockade Ukrainian military bases etc.

I was talking about current fighting in Donbass.

It's "there are WMDs in Iraq" all over again now, pushed by the same actors, same American neo-cons and amplified through the same media in exactly the same way.

Extricate yourself from your time warp.

The EU, Nato, the USA say the same thing about Russian armed forces being in Ukraine and that the Russian military in Ukraine are fighting against the armed forces and the legitimate government of Ukraine.

Busted.

[Publicus]

The "lost dozen" weren't fighting, they were confirmed as Russian servicemen and once their status was established they were released. That's what Ukraine does when it finds real Russian troops. The rest are volunteering at their own risk.

There was a discussion here about that episode in Kosovo where 300 Russian peacekeepers seized the airport in Pristina. No one dared to confront them militarily because they had the power of Russian state behind them. When Ukrainians find Russian volunteers in Donbass the attitude is completely different, they know this is not Russian army, no one will come to their rescue and they are fair game to destroy with prejudice. They can be killed by thousands and Russia won't say a word, won't even acknowledge their existence.

Call them volunteers, call them mercenaries, call them terrorists - they are not Russian army.

You posted above.....

There was a discussion here about that episode in Kosovo where 300 Russian peacekeepers seized the airport in Pristina. No one dared to confront them militarily because they had the power of Russian state behind them

The 300 Russians in 1999 were not peacekeepers. They were aggressor armed forces combatants that seized the airport of a sovereign country arbitrarily and summarily, at their own provocative initiative and in violation of international law.

The then Supreme Allied Commander of Nato U.S. General Wesley Clark ordered the just arrived Nato forces in Kosovo to drive the Russian forces from the airport by a direct armed assault. Gen Clark had no reluctance or hesitation to order Nato armed forces to engage the Russian forces at the airport directly, forcefully, decisively and victoriously.

Nato forces surrounded the Russians holding the airport. The governments of countries surrounding Kosovo/Serbia closed their airspace to Russia. Moscow had the choice of using their airspace anyway or to give up their effort to determine the course of events in the Balkans. After two days the Russian armed forces holding the airport quit, capitulated, accepted defeat.

Ras-Putin is well aware of these facts. Russia and Putin do not want to engage Nato. The one thing Ras and Russia will not do is to engage in any direct military confrontation with Nato. Nato routed the Russians in the Balkans and Nato will debase the Russian armed forces again if necessary, if push comes to shove in or around Ukraine.

Kosovo and Ukraine are Europe. Neither are Afghanistan. They are not Iraq. Not Vietnam either. Putin is instead hitting the wrong people and Putin is hitting them where they live, the Europeans and Europe. China, India, Brazil - Putin's Bric pals - are far away and remote, they don't want any part of militarily menacing Europe. Ras-Putin is thus isolated in a hothouse of his own making in the wrong place at any time or for any reason.

The armed forces of the former Soviet Russian republics of eastern Europe that are now incorporated into Nato would welcome the occasion to kick Russian arse and to lead the way to do it. Putin is trying to buy France by paying out for the helicopter carrier naval ship but that hasn't worked either because it couldn't ever work. This is Europe not some far away land or people. Nato has Ras-Putin by the short hairs and Ras knows it.

[BATHIK]

The EU, Nato, the USA say the same thing about Russian armed forces being in Ukraine and that the Russian military in Ukraine are fighting against the armed forces and the legitimate government of Ukraine.

Open memo to Merkel from retired US intelligence officers, recently referred in this Guardian article.

Invasion intelligence is presented, quoting from Guardian, "by Nato's secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen – who insisted as Danish prime minister in 2003 that "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction … we know"

[BATHIK]

The 300 Russians in 1999 were not peacekeepers. They were aggressor armed forces combatants that seized the airport of a sovereign country arbitrarily and summarily, at their own provocative initiative and in violation of international law.

Urgh.. From wikipedia:

"Early on 11 June 1999 a column of about thirty Russian armoured vehicles carrying some 250 Russian troops, who were part of the international peacekeeping force in Bosnia, moved into Serbia."

Nato forces surrounded the Russians holding the airport. The governments of countries surrounding Kosovo/Serbia closed their airspace to Russia. Moscow had the choice of using their airspace anyway or to give up their effort to determine the course of events in the Balkans. After two days the Russian armed forces holding the airport quit, capitulated, accepted defeat.

From the same source:

"Negotiations were conducted throughout the stand-off, 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 independently of NATO."

[Publicus]

The 300 Russians in 1999 were not peacekeepers. They were aggressor armed forces combatants that seized the airport of a sovereign country arbitrarily and summarily, at their own provocative initiative and in violation of international law.

Urgh.. From wikipedia:

"Early on 11 June 1999 a column of about thirty Russian armoured vehicles carrying some 250 Russian troops, who were part of the international peacekeeping force in Bosnia, moved into Serbia."

Nato forces surrounded the Russians holding the airport. The governments of countries surrounding Kosovo/Serbia closed their airspace to Russia. Moscow had the choice of using their airspace anyway or to give up their effort to determine the course of events in the Balkans. After two days the Russian armed forces holding the airport quit, capitulated, accepted defeat.

From the same source:

"Negotiations were conducted throughout the stand-off, 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 independently of NATO."

The 1999 KFOR was the Kosovo Peacekeeping Force of some 30,000 Nato alliance troops and air personnel that intervened in the predominantly Muslim province against the slaughter and genocide there by the predominantly Serbian Orthodox Christian central government in Belgrade,

Russia operated independently of the Nato KFOR, and in the Pristina Airport incident took actions against Nato. Russian armed forces took without notice or prior consultation exclusive possession of the Prinstina airport hours before Nato troops were able to arrive. Russian forces at the airport aimed their guns to include cannon at the oncoming Nato column. The Russians prohibited KFOR access to the airport under threat of military force.

Nato had to close the surrounding airspace to prevent another 1000 Russian forces landing at the airport to reinforce the 200 Russian forces commanded by a 2-star general. Nato Supreme Commander U.S. General Wesley Clark ordered Nato KFOR troops to encircle the airport then to conduct a direct armed assault to overcome the Russians and to wrest control of the airport from them. The order went unattended.

When the Russian general in charge recognized no additional Russian troops were able to arrive and that he had become isolated, out of food, water, vodka, he invited a settlement and one was agreed. So it was only under KFOR threat of armed assault and a KFOR siege that the Russian forces surrendered the airport to Nato KFOR control.

The then Nato Secretary-General Javier Solana described the Russian actions as "a reckless piece of brinkmanship in military and political terms."

The Russians in Kosovo were not peacekeepers any more than they presently are peacekeepers in Ukraine.

It was only long after the dust had settled and long after the Serb government had withdrawn its forces from Kosovo province that Russia was accepted by Nato KFOR as a complementary independently commanded peacekeeping force there. Russia withdrew from KFOR in 2003. How many times since have Russian forces been engaged in peacekeeping duties or responsibilities?