British singer who wouldn't shoot Russians

A British pop singer who served in the military before launching his show business career says he "disobeyed orders to attack Russian soldiers in Kosovo". James Blunt, who rose to fame in 2005 and is currently promoting his new album, told the BBC on Sunday that he refused to obey an order coming from NATO Supreme Commander in Kosovo U.S. General Wesley Clark to attack Russian forces stationed at the Pristina airport in June 1999. British singer who wouldn't shoot Russians All this came as NATO's 78-day bombing campaign against Serbia ended, and the NATO-led peacekeepers deployed in the province. "I was given a direct command to overpower the 200 or so Russians who were there. I was the lead officer with my troop of men behind us. The soldiers directly behind me were from the Parachute Regiment, so they were obviously game for the fight," Blunt was quoted. Although the U.S. general ordered "destruction of the Russian troops", Blunt was querying the instructions, the British radio reported. "Fortunately, up on the radio came (British) General Mike Jackson, whose exact words at the time were, 'I am not going to have my soldiers be responsible for starting World War 3', and told us to encircle the airfield instead," Blunt said. Blunt went on to say that "even without General Jackson's intervention" he would have refused to carry out Clark's order, adding that after a couple of days, the Russians were left with no food or water and asked to share the airfield with them, the London-based daily The Independent writes. Blunt also made it to Belgrade: a file photo from his Serbian concert (FoNet)

British singer who wouldn't shoot Russians

All this came as NATO's 78-day bombing campaign against Serbia ended, and the NATO-led peacekeepers deployed in the province.

"I was given a direct command to overpower the 200 or so Russians who were there. I was the lead officer with my troop of men behind us. The soldiers directly behind me were from the Parachute Regiment, so they were obviously game for the fight," Blunt was quoted.

Although the U.S. general ordered "destruction of the Russian troops", Blunt was querying the instructions, the British radio reported.

"Fortunately, up on the radio came (British) General Mike Jackson, whose exact words at the time were, 'I am not going to have my soldiers be responsible for starting World War 3', and told us to encircle the airfield instead," Blunt said.

Blunt went on to say that "even without General Jackson's intervention" he would have refused to carry out Clark's order, adding that after a couple of days, the Russians were left with no food or water and asked to share the airfield with them, the London-based daily The Independent writes.