DISINFO: The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 killed thousands of Serbs
SUMMARY
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 killed thousands of Serbs. In 1999, NATO bombed Serbia for 78 days. The exact number of victims of the Alliance’s air operation was not officially reported, but according to Serbian estimates, between 1200 and 2500 people were killed and around 6000 injured.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the number of civilian casualties of NATO bombing, In Serbia (excluding Kosovo) and Montenegro, 275 persons lost their lives in the NATO bombings: 180 civilians, 90 members of the Yugoslav Armed Forces and 5 members of the Ministry of Interior of Serbia. The primary purpose of the campaign was to end violence and repression and force Milošević to withdraw his military, police and para-military forces from Kosovo (see NATO statement from 1999). Further debunking by Polygraph. Read more about disinformation about the war in former Yugoslavia here and here.