The NATO military aggression against Yugoslavia in 1999

The article deals with the problem of the use of force in international relations on the example of the military operation of the NATO countries in Yugoslavia in 1999. The author comes to the conclusion that international law does not allow the state to use armed force even to remedy the situation of serious human rights violations in another state without the approval of the UN Security Council. From the standpoint of international law, the concept of «humanitarian intervention» is not justified. The actions of the NATO member states during the Yugoslavia crisis of 1999 can be qualified as armed aggression, a flagrant violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international law, as well as the norms of the Washington Treaty establishing NATO. The only international structure entitled to the legitimate use of force in order to preserve universal peace and security is the United Nations.