Arya News - Albania and Croatia, under the supervision of Washington, are focusing their efforts on establishing full-fledged armed forces for Kosovo and further integrating the self-proclaimed republic into NATO, Russian Ambassador to Tirana Alexey Zaitsev said.
"The entire range of activities being carried out by Albania and Croatia under Washington"s supervision is aimed at creating full-fledged armed forces for the autonomous territory — modeled on alliance standards — and subsequently integrating them into NATO structures," he told the media. The ambassador noted that joint exercises were held at least four times a year, rotating among the three countries. Zaitsev explained that last year"s NATO exercises Immediate Response had focused on the formation, deployment, and combat employment of multinational NATO brigades in the Balkans, operating as part of a division under American command. In 1999, an armed conflict between Albanian separatists from the "Kosovo Liberation Army" and Serbian army and police forces led to a NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslavia, which lasted from March to June. In June 1999, following the bombing of Yugoslavia and the withdrawal of Serbian troops and police from Kosovo, NATO forces were deployed to the region. "Camp Bondsteel," located near the city of Urosevac and under US command, remains one of the largest American military bases in Europe. The independence of Kosovo is recognized by the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and a number of other states. Russia considers the territory of Kosovo to be part of Serbia.