10.04.2019.
Edition “Warrior” promoted at the Central Military Club
The Central Military Club was a venue of the presentation of the first seven books of the most significant publishing effort of Odbrana Media Centre, the edition "Warrior", before a large number of guests, including commanders of the heroic war units from 1998 and 1999, former participants in the defence of Kosovo and Metohija and FR Yugoslavia, representatives of the Serbian Armed Forces and memoir literature lovers.
The following works were presented to the public: “War Log of the Commander of the Third Army of the Yugoslav Armed Forces – Third Army in the Merciful Angel's Embrace” by Nebojša Pavković in four books, “Priština Corps 1998 and 1999 – Testimony of War Commanders” by Dragan Marković and “Battle of Košare 1999” and “Paštrik – memories of the participants in 1999” prepared by Radenko Mutavdžić.
War commander of the 53rd Border Battalion, Colonel Duško Šljivančanin, war commander of the 125th Brigade, Major General Dragan Živanović, and war commander of the 549th Brigade, Major General Božidar Delić, spoke about the books. Before them, General Nebojša Pavković addressed the audience in an exclusive video recording from his prison cell in Finland where he was detained pursuant to the ICTY ruling because he successfully defended his country from the NATO aggression.The author of the four-volume edition of the war logs expressed deep regret over all of the fallen members of the Yugoslav Armed Forces and emphasized that the book “Third Army in the Merciful Angel's Embrace” is a chronological record of “not a war criminal” but a participant in a successful defence against NATO aggression, in all events during the heroic defence of Kosovo and Metohija.
- It is an authentic testimony of the heroism of all of our members, from conscripts to professional officers, non-commissioned officers and of reserve forces, and commanders of units. All of us always had the two goals on our minds - the defence of the country and the preservation of lives of the members of the Serbian Armed Forces. I am sure that we have fulfilled all the tasks that were assigned to us – General Pavković said.
Emphasizing the great importance of timely medical and logistical security for the successful accomplishment of combat tasks, Colonel Duško Šljivančanin recalled the heroic withdrawal of our wounded from the mountain peaks where severe battles were waged and the devoted doctors who risked their lives in order to provide aid even on the first combat line, contrary to all regulations.
- It did not happen, or it happened very, very rarely, that soldiers in combat positions do not receive food, or that they do not get help on time. We have often invested superhuman efforts, sometimes endangering the combat schedule, just to provide the necessary assistance in time, or to deliver ammunition and food. The experiences gained during the defence against the aggression should be presented as much as possible to young generations, because they need to know that we have done everything possible to preserve the dignity of the people, the state and the army. The greatest contribution was given by conscripts and their youngest commanders, the lieutenants who just completed the Military Academy that year and were assigned their first duties in battle positions as members of the Priština Corps – Colonel Šljivančanin said.Emphasizing that the book on Košare presented only a small part of the heroic experiences and feats achieved by the defenders of Kosovo and Metohija in the crucial days of the defence, commander of the heroic 125th brigade, Major General Dragan Živanović, said that “even the last defender of Košare should tell his story”.
- I believe that printing these seven books is just the beginning and that we as well will get something similar to “Serbian Trilogy” by Stevan Jakovljević, who has been writing his work for years. Of course, not everything was said and everyone from among the courageous participants in the resistance should be given the opportunity to present their experiences of the heroic defence of Kosovo and Metohija – General Živanović said.Similar was the speech of General Božidar Delić, whose unit, providing a superhuman resistance on Paštrik, prevented the enemy from occupying a part of our territory.
- We knew that this was the last attempt of the aggressor to conquer at least a part of our territory, in order to justify the aggression. That is why they launched a final push and started with strategic bombing. There was no patch on the earth that was not showered with bombs from the air. We managed to stay in positions and thus prevent them from conquering Paštrik, despite their incomparable superiority both in personnel and in technique. The result was 25 killed and about 200 wounded in the conditions of such a furious bombing so that I still wonder today how we did not all disappear. The young men, the soldiers of the March generation of 1998, who were just beginning to live, paid the most. They were between 20 and 22 years old, and they gave their lives to defend the country. Therefore, I believe that, with a successful defence against aggression, we have proven that we have not compromised the ancestors, and we certainly made the descendants proud – General Delić concluded.The reason for launching the edition “Warrior” is the effort to preserve the experience of our war commanders during NATO aggression in 1999, their war skills, the decision-making process, the disposition of units..., everything by which they made us proud at that time, defending the country – as a contribution to the culture of memory.
PHOTOGALLERY
VIDEOGALLERY10.04.2019
mp4 (266,53 MB)Video
