YUGOSLAVIA: KOSOVO: PRISTINA: RUSSIAN TROOPS - UPDATE

(12 Jun 1999) Natural Sound Russian peacekeeping troops arrived into Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, early on Saturday morning, taking NATO forces by surprise. The armoured column was greeted with delight by local Serbs who see the Russians as their allies. There was shouting and fireworks as thousands of people crowded the main street of the city to greet the soldiers, who arrived aboard trucks and troop transports. Moscow has previously assured NATO it would not try to go into the Serbian province alone. Local Serbs had gathered on the streets of Pristina after local radio broadcast reports that the Russian column was on its way. When it finally arrived the Serbs could hardly contain their delight, firing guns into the air and letting off fireworks. The Russians were greeted as a liberating force and their arrival took on the character of a victory parade. The convoy crept through an avenue jammed with people, many waving Yugoslav and