A U.N. humanitarian team, in Yugoslavia to assess civilian needs, looks at the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, damaged by NATO bombs RELATED VIDEO CNN's Walter Rodgers explains how the Yugoslav media help garner support for Milosevic (May 17) 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 A cracked window to a war To the corners of the world: The flight of Kosovo's refugees  ALSO: Release of 2 Serb POWs may come Tuesday May 17, 1999  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

May 17, 1999
Web posted at: 9:46 a.m. EDT (1346 GMT)

In this story: Bombs fall slower Monday RELATED STORIES, SITES

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- A U.N. exploratory mission, the first of its kind since NATO began its bombing campaign in Yugoslavia, was in Belgrade Monday to assess humanitarian needs throughout the embattled country.

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has reportedly agreed to meet with the 15-member team before it leaves the capital.

The delegation, which arrived in Belgrade Sunday, is scheduled to spend 10 days getting a firsthand look at the situation in Yugoslavia -- including Kosovo.

"We are worried about the hundreds of thousands that are said to be on the move in that province," team leader Sergio Vieira de Mello said Sunday. "It's the first time we are able to embark in this kind of way, and right in the middle of a war. We are determined to do as professional a job as possible."

NATO began a relentless bombing campaign 55 days ago to force Milosevic to accept an international peace plan that included the safe return of ethnic Albanians forced from their homes in Kosovo.

Yugoslavia charges that the bombing itself has forced the Kosovars to flee, while NATO says that the Serbs have engaged in systematic "ethnic cleansing" of the region.

On Monday, Serb troops kept some 2,000 ethnic Albanians from disembarking from a train at the Macedonian border. An elderly man who was allowed to get off the train and cross into Macedonia told authorities he had seen the train turn around and head back into Kosovo.

"We are not sure why the Serbs are not allowing people off," said Ron Redmond, a spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. "They can turn this off and on like a tap."

Serb officials said the train might be allowed to return later in the day.

Bombs fall slower Monday

The air campaign took a decided downturn Monday -- down from around 600 sorties daily to just 343. NATO said bad weather forced the cancellation of most flights, but Yugoslavia said heavy anti-aircraft fire had turned away the NATO planes.

Serb TV showed video of an unmanned German drone it said was shot down over Yugoslavia. NATO confirmed the loss of a drone.

Serb media also said that explosions were heard near the town of Cacak, 70 miles (113 km) south of Belgrade, and attacks came near the town of Uzice, 75 miles (121 km) southwest of Belgrade, and near Kraljevo in central Serbia.

NATO said that attacks took place in southwest Kosovo. Targets included Serb armor, military vehicles, artillery positions and the airfield at Sjenica.

Serbian TV showed images of what it said was an unmanned German drone that was shot down

In other developments: