Little Russia shows up in the problem of barricades: We're pushing tensions, we just support Serbia

E Kremlin said on Wednesday that he supports Serbia's “efforts to protect ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo”, but denied Pristina's accusations that Russia was in some way fuelling tensions in an effort to sow chaos throughout the Balkans.

Asked about Kosovo Interior Minister Jedal Svecla's statement that Serbia, under Russia's influence, was aiming to destabilise Kosovo by supporting the Serb minority, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters it was “misspelled” to be required for a Russian destructive influence.

Serbia is a sovereign country and it is absolutely wrong to seek Russia's destructive influence here, said Peskov.

Serbia is a sovereign state and, of course, it protects the rights of Serbs living close to it under such difficult conditions and naturally reacts harshly when those rights are violated”.

Serbia denies it is trying to destabilise its neighbour and says it simply wants to protect its minority there. Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq said on Tuesday that Serbia will continue to fight for peace and seek compromise solutions”.

The Kremlin said it supports Belgrade.

“Having very close allied relations, historical and spiritual relations with Serbia, Russia is monitoring very carefully what is going on, how the rights of Serbs are respected and secured”, Peskov said.

And, of course, we support Belgrade in the actions that are taking”.