War

BELGRADE - The Serbian government expressed on Thursday concern over the decision by the provisional authorities in Kosovo to form Kosovo armed forces and a defence ministry, stressing that only the international forces under KFOR have the mandate to cover all the military and security aspects in Kosovo.

ZVECAN - The members of the four municipal assemblies in northern Kosovo-Metohija on Thursday voiced concern over the announced plans of the Pristina authorities to form a Kosovo army.

"We see this as an act of open threat to security in the region and the safety of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija", North Mitrovica mayor Goran Rakic said at the assemblies' joint session in Zvecan.

Serb municipalities "could break off cooperation with EULEX"

ZVEČAN -- Councilors from municipal assemblies in northern Kosovo on Thursday voiced concern over the announced plans of the Priština authorities to form a Kosovo army.

A decree making Crimea part of the Russian Federation was voted in the regional Parliament on Thursday.

Russian armed forces are "the only lawful armed force on the territory", Crimea Deputy PM Rustam Termigaliev was reported as saying.

The Serbian government said it is putting pressure on the international community to allow Kosovo Serbs arrested for alleged war crimes to be released ahead of their court cases.

The Kosovo government has been harshly criticised for shortcomings in implementing legislation granting benefits to wartime victims and veterans and not informing them about their rights.

The U.S. guided-missile destroyer Truxtun is bound for the Black Sea for military exercises with Bulgarian and Romanian naval forces. 

According to the US military publication Stars and Stripes, the ship departed from Greece early Thursday and its visit is unrelated to the current events in Ukraine. 

The United States will send 6 additional fighter jets to Lithuania in order to reassure its Eastern European allies over increased fears from Russia's incursion in Ukraine.

The planes, which are currently at Lakenheath air base in Britain, will be positioned in the air base in Siauliai, Lithuania, US Defense officials said quoted by the LA Times.

Slobodan Milosevic was behind a joint criminal enterprise to force Croats from Serb-controlled areas of Yugoslavia, Zagreb argued in its genocide case against Belgrade at the International Court of Justice.

The Montenegrin Prime Minister, Milo Djukanovic, will meet US Vice-President Joseph Biden during a three-day visit to Washington in March, focusing on the country’s NATO ambitions.

According to the media, Djukanovic and Biden will discuss Montenegro’s aspirations to become a full member of the Atlantic Alliance at the upcoming summit scheduled for September in Wales in the UK.