The situation in Kosovo has suddenly escalated. According to the latest news from the Russian Satellite News Agency, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova said on May 30 that it is necessary to take decisive measures to ease the tension in Kosovo rather than the “half measures” proposed by Western countries.
Zakharova said in a statement that “decisive measures are needed to de-escalate the situation, not half-baked ideas like the Americans’ idea of temporarily ‘relocating’ the new ‘executive’ from the executive building to other facilities.”
Satellite News Agency said that Zakharova also called on the West to stop blaming the Serbs for the violent conflicts in Kosovo and stop exerting influence on the Kosovo authorities.
“Don’t provoke Belgrade. At the risk of being accused of ‘increasing tension’ again, Belgrade has been forced to declare that the armed forces have entered a state of full combat readiness and advance the troops to the administrative demarcation line with the Kosovo region.” Zakharova said.
She also added that the NATO Kosovo Force’s response to the situation was unprofessional. “Not only did they display an unprofessional attitude, but they also became a source of unnecessary violence and a factor that escalated the conflict.”
On May 26, the Kosovo authorities dispatched the police to forcibly escort some Albanian elected town administrators to take office, triggering protests from Serb residents and conflicts between the two sides. Serbian President Vucic signed an order on the 26th to raise the combat readiness of the Serbian army to the highest level and order the army to march urgently towards Kosovo. On May 29, NATO Kosovo troops clashed with Serb protesters at three administrative buildings in Kosovo. Vucic said that the conflict resulted in 52 Serbs being injured and hospitalised, and another 41 soldiers stationed in Kosovo were injured. Vucic accused the Kosovo authorities of being the creators and promoters of tension.