Representatives of the KFOR (Kosovo Force, an international force led by NATO, which is responsible for ensuring stability in Kosovo) act in support of Pristina. Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko stated this in an interview with Izvestia.
“In the event that they (KFOR. – Ed.) acted on the basis of a United Nations mandate, on the basis of resolution 1244 they took a neutral position, in fact they are acting in support of Pristina, and all the events of recent days are even more obvious than previously shown,” he said.
Read the full version of the interview on the Izvestia website at 00:01.
Earlier on May 31, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was monitoring the situation in Kosovo. Peskov noted that the Russian side, of course, supports Serbia, and the legitimate rights and interests of the Kosovo Serbs must be respected.
Peskov also drew attention to the fact that any activity and any measures to bring the situation out of the acute phase and ensure the rights of all parties are welcome, while Moscow will unconditionally not trust the statements of European representatives on the implementation of agreements.
Another round of tension in Kosovo and Metohija was provoked by an attempt by Pristina to install new mayors in four municipalities, where predominantly Serbs live. On May 26, Kosovo Albanian police forcefully occupied government buildings in several areas, leading to clashes.
On May 29, thousands of Kosovo Serbs gathered in front of local government buildings demanding the recall of the Kosovo Albanian mayors and the withdrawal of the Kosovo police. In the evening of the same day, clashes began between the protesters and the international security forces under the auspices of NATO KFOR. During the clash, 52 Serbs and 41 fighters of the alliance contingent were injured.
In 2008, the Kosovo Albanian structures in Pristina declared independence from Serbia. According to the Serbian constitution, the territory of the unrecognized state is an autonomous province of Kosovo and Metohija within the country. The Republic of Kosovo is not recognized by dozens of countries, including Russia.
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