DISINFO: NATO bombings of Yugoslavia in 1999 killed thousands
SUMMARY
NATO bombings of Yugoslavia in 1999 killed thousands. The necessity of the existence of NATO was explained in the post-Soviet era with the maintenance of democracy and stability in Central and Eastern Europe. In 1999 this led to bomb attacks on Yugoslavia. The military operation, which also killed peaceful civilians, lasted 78 days. Counting thousands of victims, and with destroyed infrastructure – Yugoslavia was dissolved as a state.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about the number of civilian casualties of NATO bombing, debunked by Polygraph. In Serbia (excluding Kosovo) and Montenegro, 275 persons lost their lives in the NATO bombings: 180 civilians, 90 members of the Yugoslav Armed Forces, five members of the Ministry of Interior of Serbia. The primary purpose of the campaign was to end violence and repression and force Milosevic to withdraw his military, police and para-military forces from Kosovo. (See NATO statement from 1999.) Read more about disinformation about the war in former Yugoslavia here and here.