The Strategic Review published by the Ministry of the Armed Forces in October 2017 highlighted that the Western Balkans represented a “major challenge for Europe and for the security of the entire continent”. And to explain: “The region remains divided by its history and by very contrasting economic trajectories. Thus, this area suffers from weaknesses which can be used for destabilization purposes by radical movements [notamment jihadistes]criminal groups or third States”.
Even if it was not included in the updated version of this document, released in November 2021, the fact remains that this assessment is still relevant. Added to this observation are persistent tensions not only between the countries of the former Yugoslavia federation but also between the different communities that make them up, such as for example in Bosnia-Herzegovina or Kosovo. [dont l’indépendance n’est pas reconnue par cinq États membres de l’Union européenne].
In March 2022, a few weeks after the start of the war in Ukraine, Rafale M from the embarked air group [GAé] of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle carried out “training flights” over Bosnia-Herzegovina, while there was talk of doubling the numbers of the European force “Althéa”, deployed in the country in order to enforce the Dayton Accords which, signed in 1995, put an end to a war between Serbian, Croat and Bosnian forces.
At the time, the question was whether the Bosnian Serb Republic [Republika Srpska] was going to assert its independence from Sarajevo or not, with the support of the Kremlin. Since then, the situation has not changed.
At the same time, relations between Belgrade and Pristina are still tense, with recurring incidents involving the Serbian community established in northern Kosovo and the Kosovar authorities. And this despite the presence of KFOR, the force deployed by NATO in the former Serbian province.
Last spring, although it had been placed under NATO operational control for two weeks, during the Akila mission, the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was not requested to carry out reconnaissance missions in above Kosovo. But it was only a postponement.
Indeed, in its weekly report of operations, evoking the Clemenceau 25 mission, the General Staff of the Armed Forces [EMA] indicated that “two Rafale Marines embarked on board the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle carried out a flight for the benefit of KFOR”. And to specify that this flight contributed to “the assessment of the situation in the Balkans and the maintenance of a safe and secure environment in the region”.
Probably one of these two Rafale Ms was equipped with the RECO NG nacelle, which allows photos to be taken at high or very low altitude, day or night. In addition, thanks to its optical sensors that can rotate 180°, it can point a lens from different angles, or even several in a single pass.
The reconnaissance flight came as Pristina recently accused Belgrade of sabotage that damaged the Ibar-Lepenac canal, which is essential for the cooling systems of the two coal-fired power plants meant to power Kosovo's electricity grid. . This was strongly denied by the Serbian authorities.
As a reminder, French forces ended their participation in KFOR in 2014, at a time when they had to face other important commitments. [Serval, Sangaris, Daman, etc.].
That being said, the mission that these two Rafale M have just carried out is not new for the EMA. Indeed, the Italian site Itamilradar, which tracks the movements of military aircraft, light surveillance and intelligence aircraft [ALSR] “Vador” of the 4/33 Périgord squadron have regularly been spotted over Kosovo, near the border with Serbia, in recent months.
