DISINFO: In NATO bombings, around 2000 civilians were killed in Yugoslavia
SUMMARY
During the barbaric NATO operation, which was cynically called a humanitarian intervention, 2000 civilians were killed. At least 89 of them were children. The victims included Albanians from Kosovo, whose so-called rescue was dealt with by NATO.
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 and five members of the Ministry of Interior of Serbia. In Kosovo, 484 people were killed: 267 civilians (209 Albanian and 58 non-Albanian), 171 members of the YA, 20 members of the Serbian MUP and 26 members of the KLA (19 of whom died in the NATO bombing of the Dubrava prison, near Istok). Here you can see the list of names of people who lost their lives in NATO bombing. 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.