"Russian UN Peacekeepers?" Topic

Does the Russian Army participate in current UN Peacekeeping missions?

If so, do they paint their vehicles regulation UN white?

I've been trying to find some photos showing Russian Army troops and their vehicles in UN White…
Any help to these questions would be appreicated.

There were Russian peacekeepers in the Balkans (UNPROFOR)

There are also plenty of missions where nations with Russian or Soviet equipment participated, even if the Russians themselves weren't present.

Thanks but I am asking for RUSSIANS…not Russian/Soviet Equipment….

I need to know if the Russkies painted their stuff UN white…

They do participate, but not in huge numbers – a few hundred dotted about the place so far as I can tell, and some of them are civilian policemen.

But yes, I think what vehicles they'd have would be white.

Most Russian 'peacekeeping' is within the 'Near abroad' such as South Ossetia where they wear usual uniforms.

I don't think the Russians painted their vehicles white in KFOR or UNPROFOR. I know we didn't and neither did the Germans.

Edit: Nope, its not white: picture

But, in Bongolesia, it might help keep the vehicles cooler.

Wyatt

Murph,
Some units did. I have a Concord on the Russian Airborne from 1994 that has White painted BMDs..so did something change between now and then? Maybe.

Ok, further update. It looks like everyone kept their normal paint jobs for KFOR, but during UNPROFOR, the Danes, Canadians, New Zealanders and some others painted things white, including this Danish Leopard 1A5 in Bosnia picture

Search for images using KFOR and UNPROFOR and you'll get an idea. I do know that the Germans kept things green as there is video of them taking on Serbian snipers with their tank. And, my friend who's son served in the USMC during the time said that their stuff wasn't repainted.

Wyatt

All UNPROFOR vehicles were white (including ours and the Russians) with 'UN' stencilled in black, but when the mission changed to the far more aggressively-roled IFOR in December 1995, the white paint came off.

By the time Kosovo erupted, virtually all the forces in Bosnia were in camo'd vehicles, including those of the Russians, with 'IFOR' stencilled in white.

The Russians quickly changed 'IFOR' to 'KFOR' with a few slaps of paint, when they unilaterally decided to 'join'/obstruct the KFOR occupation of Kosovo and raced the British for Pristina airport.

If they are part of the Peacekeeping force, operating under the auspices of the UN, then yes, they should be white!

Here's the logic:

Peacekeepings main mission is to enforce the terms of the peace treaty. Chiefly, to keep the former warring factions (FWF)separated so it would be harder to start fighting again. By using white (and blue helmets), those forces can be readily identified as NOT approcahing members of an FWF force.

If they kept their equipment in national camo, they could easily jepardize the lives of the men operating in them by giving the impression that they COULD be FWF. remember, in almost all such missions, FWF are allowed to keep their small arms, but have a deadline for turning in the crew served and heavy weapons to the Peacekeeping force. This usually is part of the peace accords and serves to instill confidence between the FWF.

So yes, Murph, White vehicles and the men in those dark sky blue helmets.

Best
Tom Dye
GFI

The film of the German Leopard taking on the Yugo-full of gunmen at point-blank range (probably the most one-sided battle in recorded history) was taken in Kosovo. The German Leo was there under KFOR.

The only people to have tanks in Bosnia were the Danes (Leopard 1DKs) – painted white.

Remember, IFOR/SFOR and KFOR were/are not UN missions. They were/are NATO missions with non-NATO participants allowed in.

Thanks, Jay! I thought I was losing my marbles! I could have sworn Kosovo was a NATO mission which they made the mistake of allowing the Russkies to join… Didn't want to say anything, not being sure…

That's right – hence why the white paint and 'UN' came off the vehicles. The post-UNPROFOR phase of Bosnia was NATO's very first war.

To be honest, there was no choice in the matter regarding the Russians' participation. They very publicly announced that they were a part of the mission, changed the 'IFOR' to 'KFOR' on their vehicles and beat us to Pristina airport. And regardless of Gen Clarke's wishes, there was no way that the British Army was going to start a war with Russia over a carbuncle on the arse of Europe.

Good asssessment of that part of the world, Mark.

Which is why Russian now controls Eastern Europe again – and will control Western Europe too, along with big chunks of South America.

There will soon be Russian "Peacekeepers" everywhere.

Which is why Russian now controls Eastern Europe again

With Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria being EU and NATO members, and with Ukraine trying to keep a distance to Russia, this sounds a bit exaggerated.

Not sure about Bongolesia, though.

Indeed, Russia controls exactly none of the former Warsaw Pact nations – most if not all of whom are now in NATO.

It might possibly have escaped the notice of some people that the Poles deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan, along with Bulgarians and troops from the Baltic States.

The Poles and Balts have definite views when it comes to Russia….

I've got to agree with GB and Stu above. With the sole exception of the Serbs, the Eastern Europeans (particularly the Poles, Ukrainians and Balts, as mentioned above) have serious 'issues' with Russia.

Indeed, Estonia even invoked the NATO Founding Charter a couple of years ago, in response to Russian overflights, and an RAF Tornado Squadron deployed there to remind the Russkis that Estonia was now part of NATO and that NATO would not allow a member state to be pushed around without very serious consequences (strangely this went almost completely unreported in the western European press).

***They very publicly announced that they were a part of the mission, changed the 'IFOR' to 'KFOR' on their vehicles and beat us to Pristina airport.***

Jon Stewart couldn't have said it better :D

With the sole exception of the Serbs, the Eastern Europeans have serious 'issues' with Russia.

Even the current Serbian administration seems to be trying to take a little bit of distance to Russia and get closer to Western Europe, so the Russian political influence there might be getting lower.

However, Serbia seems to have traditionally sported friendly relations with Russia, at least since the days of the pan-Slavic movement in the 19th century.