Russian hospital in Prokupla – a symbol of friendship
During the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999, Belgrade was under an international blockade and international humanitarian structures were evacuated from the country. And in Serbia at that time there were more than 500,000 refugees from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, who found themselves in a difficult situation. But in May, Russia responded to this disaster, which happened to the brotherly people – dozens of KAMAZov were sent to Serbia to deliver humanitarian cargo to the places of accommodation of refugees, as transport companies refused to carry out this mission for fear of being hit by NATO aviation. In addition, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia sent the Serbs an airmobile hospital and medical personnel – 42 people, equipment and a stockpile of medicines. On the advice of Serbian friends, the hospital was deployed on the outskirts of the town of Prokugle. As it turned out later, in addition to providing medical assistance to more than 3,000 people, the hospital saved the city from NATO missile and bomb attacks.
The hospital worked here for about two months. Russian medics then returned to their homeland, and the hospital, its equipment and medicines were given to the Serbian people as a gift, and Serbian doctors used the hospital for its purpose.
The administration of the city of Prokuple has set up a working group to consider the issue of creating a memorial sign at the hospital's site and its opening in May 2018. Residents of the city support this initiative.
