Moscow denounces Pristina's "provocation against Serbs"

Saturday's intrusion of Kosovo police special forces in Serb enclaves in the north was "a provocation aimed at intimidating the Serbs."

Spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said this in a comment published on the ministry's website.

"The demonstrative intrusion of the Kosovo police special forces on September 29 in the Serb-populated areas in the north of the province, contrary to the existing agreements between Belgrade and Pristina, is a provocation aimed at intimidating the Kosovo Serbs and putting pressure on Serbia," Zakharova stated.

She stressed that "such irresponsible behavior of the Kosovo authorities could lead to new bloodshed in Kosovo and destabilize the Balkan region as a whole."

"Further attempts by Pristina to establish control over Serb enclaves by force will foment inter-ethnic tensions and reduce to nothing many years of efforts by the international community for the sake of peace post-conflict settlement," Zakharova said, according to Tanjug, which quoted TASS.

The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry also "condemned the passive stance taken by KFOR, which took no action, although under the UN Security Council''s mandate it is under obligation to maintain peace and security in the area," the Russian official said.

Reacting to this, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic - who is in Moscow for a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin - said he was grateful to Zakharova for commenting on "everything that the Albanians have been doing in the north of Kosovo and Metohija - it demonstrates Russia's commitment to the truth."

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