Pristina: The Red Cross has started distributing Russian humanitarian aid to the ethnic Serbian communities in Kosovo which declared independence from Serbia.

Gracanica, some five km from Kosovo's capital Pristina, with a population of 13,000 is one of the 22 Serbian inhabited areas that received the Russian aid.

"The humanitarian aid was provided at the request of the Serbian government and it is a sign of friendly relations between Russia and Serbia." The head of Russia's diplomatic mission in Kosovo, Andrei Dronov said.

The diplomat also said the situation of Serbs in Kosovo had deteriorated since the Albanian-dominated province proclaimed its independence from Serbia Feb 17.

The Russian aid, worth around 40 million roubles ($1.7 million), was flown to Belgrade in four deliveries in early April, and will eventually be distributed to a total of 7,000 Serbian families.

Kosovo, with a 90 percent ethnic Albanian majority, has been formally recognized as a sovereign state by 37 countries including the United States and most European Union members.

Russia and China continue to back Belgrade's position that Kosovo's independence declaration is illegal.

 

Source : IANS