May 13, 1999
Web posted at: 9:42 a.m. EDT (1342 GMT)

	Serbian media reported attacks in Novi Sad RELATED VIDEO CNN's Jamie McIntyre explains animations of how the accidents apparently occurred (May 13) Windows Media 28K 80K CNN's Brent Sadler looks at the mounting damage from the 50 days of bombings Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K To view the latest video streams on the strikes in Kosovo, use the arrow buttons below to scroll through the video gallery.        Windows Media Real        28 K 80 K IMAGE GALLERY To the corners of the world: The flight of Kosovo's refugees  ALSO: Sources: Chernomyrdin says Beijing wouldn't veto U.S.-Russia peace plan KLA recruits race against time for training Aid agencies consider increased evacuations from Macedonia Freed U.S. soldier insists he is not a hero  THE DELUGE OF REFUGEES: Where are they going?  MESSAGE BOARD: China tomorrow Crisis in Kosovo  MAPS: NATO officials describe the air campaign  IN-DEPTH SPECIAL: NATO at 50 Strike on Yugoslavia

In this story: About 150 soldiers leave Kosovo Russia gives assurances on China Apaches to see combat soon? Bombardment continues around Serbia RELATED STORIES, SITES

LONDON (CNN) -- A small force of Yugoslav troops left Kosovo on Thursday, while British officials pointed to a brief admission of combat deaths by Yugoslavia's president as proof of NATO's success in its air campaign.

Diplomatic efforts continued Thursday as well, with Russian envoy Viktor Chernomyrdin reporting that China would agree to let a proposed peace agreement move through the United Nations without opposing it. Russia and China are strongly against the airstrikes.

But Russian President Boris Yeltsin, beset by impeachment proceedings in his parliament, warned that his country's patience was wearing thin.

Repeating threats he made one day before, Yeltsin said Thursday that Russia may reconsider its role in Kosovo negotiations if NATO continues to "ignore" Russia's opposition to the bombings.

At a daily briefing Thursday, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said, "The last two days of action have been the most successful in Kosovo in the campaign to date. We have inflicted heavy damage on the killing machine in Kosovo, hitting the armor, the artillery, the vehicles and the command centers."

Even Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic "has now been forced to admit for the first time that NATO has inflicted casualties on his Serb forces."

"President Milosevic does not dare let the world or his own people see the damage that we are doing," Cook added.

About 150 soldiers leave Kosovo

Milosevic offered Monday to withdraw half of the Yugoslav army and special police deployed in Kosovo, a move NATO dismissed as a "half-measure."

The first contingent of Yugoslav troops -- about 150 men -- left the province Thursday. In Washington, White House officials reacted skeptically to reports of the withdrawal.

"The same people who say there has been no ethnic cleansing in Kosovo are now saying they are withdrawing troops, and as evidence let you see 120 or 150 people getting on buses heading north," White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said. U.S. and NATO military planners have seen no evidence of a major withdrawal of troops or military equipment, he said.

Yugoslav officials said the soldiers were leaving Kosovo because they had ended a revolt by ethnic Albanian rebels of the Kosovo Liberation Army. But Cook said the Yugoslavs are still fighting the guerrillas, who are seeking independence for the Serbian province.

"I'm bound to say it is no nearer the truth this time around than it was the last time," Cook said.

Russia gives assurances on China

French President Jacques Chirac met Yeltsin on Thursday in Moscow for talks, during which he supported Moscow's efforts to mediate between Belgrade and the West to help resolve the Kosovo crisis.

After meeting with Chirac, Yeltsin reiterated earlier warnings that Russia could halt its diplomacy unless it starts seeing some results.

Meanwhile, Chernomyrdin assured U.S. officials Wednesday that if Moscow and Washington reach a peace proposal on Kosovo, China will not veto the plan in the U.N. Security Council. Chernomyrdin relayed the message to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, who was in Moscow.

U.S. officials said Chernomyrdin -- just back from Beijing -- told Talbott that Chinese leaders were enraged over the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. But, the U.S. sources say, Chernomyrdin also said the Chinese made clear they "would not get in the way" if NATO and the Russians were in agreement on a peace proposal.

	Damaged house in Novi Sad

China has publicly threatened to hold up the proposal if it is submitted to the Security Council and called for NATO to halt the bombing.

U.S. officials said they were encouraged by Chernomyrdin's report. They also said Chernomyrdin told Talbott he plans to head to Belgrade soon on another diplomatic mission.

Apaches to see combat soon?

Meanwhile, the U.S. Apache helicopter gunships sent to Albania last month will soon take part in exercises along the Yugoslav border, in preparation for entering combat.

The helicopters, which specialize in attacking armor, will be backed by short-range missiles and heavy artillery in Albania.

NATO spokesman Jamie Shea said Wednesday that the training of the Apache pilots is "almost completed," and a Pentagon official told CNN the fliers are "trained and ready." Two of the helicopters have been lost in crashes during training flights in Albania since they arrived in April.

Pentagon sources said Wednesday that first of those crashes was caused by pilot error, and the second by a mechanical malfunction. The second crash killed the two-man crew.

Bombardment continues around Serbi

NATO attacks hit five Yugoslav aircraft on the ground at airfields in Batajnica and Obvra, and struck military communications sites overnight at Kosovska, Novi Sad and Stara Pazova, allied officials said.

Yugoslav news accounts reported another night of heavy bombardment around Serbia, including Kosovo.

Serbian television said NATO attacked sites in the southeastern Serb town of Leskovac and Pirot, a town in eastern Serbia, about 30 miles (50 km) southeast of Nis.

Serb TV later reported attacks on Pancevo, near Belgrade; Pozarevac, Milosevic's birthplace; and the town of Sabac.

The official Yugoslav news agency Tanjug said the state television headquarters in the Novi Sad district of Sremska Kamenica was hit, sending thick smoke into the sky. Novi Sad's oil refinery was also bombed once again, according to state radio.

Several towns in Kosovo were bombed Thursday, Serb TV reported. One missile hit the town of Srbac, while several bombs exploded in the border area between Decani and Djakovica.

The center of Prizren came under attack too, with bombs allegedly exploding near a railway station and a hotel. Another attack occurred on the Kutlovac hill, near the town of Kosovska Mitrovica, Serb TV reported.

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