Russian peacekeepers shot dead three Serb gunmen in south-eastern Kosovo yesterday after the Serbs had attacked a car full of ethnic Albanians, killing one of them, the NATO-led Kfor peacekeeping force in Pristina reported.
"The Russians shot three Serbs this morning outside Ranilug, about 10 km north-east of Gniljane," said a Kfor officer who asked not to be named.
"An ethnic Albanian man was killed and two others were wounded by the Serbs in the incident. We're still trying to sort through all the details but I can say that the Russians only shot the Serbs after the Serbs had shot at them."
Kfor, based on its preliminary investigation, said five ethnic Albanian men were driving in an area identified as Korminjane, just north of Ranilug, at about 6 a.m. local time yesterday when their car was stopped by three Serbs. The Serbs were armed but the ethnic Albanians were not, Kfor said, and the gunmen opened fire. One ethnic Albanian was killed and two were wounded. Two other ethnic Albanians are believed to have fled the scene.
Russian peacekeepers at a checkpoint further up the road heard the shots and ran to the scene, where they "found the three Serbs at the scene beating the two wounded Albanians", Kfor's Maj Roland Lavoie said.
"The Russian troops ordered the Serbs to stop. The Serbs responded to this order by firing at the Russian troops and, in accordance with Kfor rules of engagement, they returned fire, killing all three Serbs."
The Russians have drawn praise from senior NATO officers for what is described as even-handed professionalism under difficult circumstances.