The 125th Mechanized Brigade — The Backbone of the Defence of Metohija

If the young border guards of the 53rd Battalion took the first blow, the burden of the prolonged defence of Košare was borne, for the most part, by another formation — the 125th Mechanized Brigade. This unit became the backbone of the defence, a firm force that stabilised the front and held the line to the end of the war.

The Reinforcement That Arrived in Time

Already the day after the attack began, on 10 April 1999, the 2nd Battalion of the 125th Mechanized Brigade began to arrive at Košare as the main reinforcement. Its arrival was decisive — at the moment when the border guards had lost the highest positions and fallen back to the second line, fresh and well-armed units made it possible for the defence to be consolidated.

The 125th Mechanized Brigade was one of the mainstays of the Priština Corps. Unlike the lightly armed border units, it had at its disposal heavier weaponry and greater firepower, which was necessary in order to halt the enemy advance.

The Brigade Commander

At the head of the 125th Mechanized Brigade stood Major General Dragan Živanović, who commanded the unit throughout the war. The commander of the 2nd Battalion, which bore the greatest burden at Košare itself, was Lieutenant Colonel Ljubinko Đurković. Under their leadership, the brigade took on responsibility for holding the key axes of the defence.

General Živanović was later also the source of the official breakdown of the losses at Košare — the figures on the structure of the 108 fallen members of the Yugoslav Army, among whom were officers, conscript soldiers, reservists and volunteers.

Holding the Line

From the moment the 125th Brigade stabilised the front, the main aim became clear — not to let the enemy break through the second line of defence and reach the valley toward Đakovica. Despite constant attacks, artillery strikes and NATO bombing, that aim was achieved.

For weeks and months, the units of the 125th Brigade, together with the paratroopers, special-forces soldiers and border guards, held the positions. After mid-April, the line essentially did not move. The enemy had seized the first heights, but went no further.

Volunteers in the Brigade's Ranks

Volunteers were also integrated into the 125th Mechanized Brigade, including foreign volunteers who had come to fight on the side of the Serbian people. They shared the fate of the brigade's soldiers, and some of them laid down their lives at Košare, inscribing themselves in the roll of the fallen heroes.

The Backbone of the Defence

Without the 125th Mechanized Brigade, the heroism of the first defenders would have had no foundation to build upon. This unit turned resistance into an organised, lasting defence and ensured that the border of Metohija remained unbroken to the end of the war.

In the story of Košare, the 125th Mechanized Brigade deserves the place of the backbone of the defence — the force that endured the longest and paid a high price so that the border might remain Serbian. Lest it be forgotten.