Serbia launches large-scale military exercises on the border with Kosovo
On Thursday, March 29, a large-scale military exercise of the Serbian armed forces was launched at the Pasuljanske Livade training ground, near the territory of the partially-recognized Republic of Kosovo, according to a report by RTS (Radio Television of Serbia).
Before the beginning of the exercise, several Serbian aircrafts were spotted over the village of Preševo, located on the border of Kosovo. Aircrafts scared the locals and attracted the attention of the international peacekeeping mission representatives in Kosovo working under NATO leadership.
The Serbian Ministry of Defense reported that on March 29, military exercises coined as Sadejstvo-2018 would be launched. Artillery, infantry and aviation were to be involved in the maneuvers.
Ahead of the Serbian military exercises, an international peacekeeping mission in Kosovo urged local population to remain calm.
As a result of the war in 1999 between Kosovo and the government of Serbia, the region [Kosovo] came under the United Nations control—however, it legally retains autonomy within Serbia. In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence, and in 2016 a partially recognized state concluded an Association Agreement with the EU.