Six Russian MiG planes will be handed over to Serbia simultaneously, and this is likely to happen on March 24 – the 18th anniversary of the beginning of the bombing of Yugoslavia by NATO aviation, the Belgrade edition Evening News reports today.
It is expected that the agreement will be signed during the meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Serbian Prime Minister Alexandar Vucic in the near future. The transfer will be attended by the Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Russia transfers six MiG-29s to Serbia at the cost of their repairs, and Russian specialists will also be involved in the work.
On March 24, 1999, NATO aviation without the sanction of the UN Security Council began bombing of Yugoslavia because of an information provocation about ethnic cleansing against Albanians allegedly conducted by Serbs in the province of Kosovo and Metohija. Bombing lasted 78 days, and, in addition to military facilities, hospitals, schools, and apartment houses were also damaged. The number of victims has not been counted so far, Serbian assessments range from 1,200 to 2,500 dead, and around 6,000 were wounded.