Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo sending mercenaries to Ukraine?

[Maira La]

Officials in Tirana, Pristina and Sarajevo said they were baffled by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's claim that 'mercenaries' from these countries were heading to the frontlines in Ukraine.

A Ukrainian serviceman patrols the frontline, not far from the pro-Russian-militant-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine, February 2, 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/STANISLAV KOZLIUK

Officials of Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina have rejected claims made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that these countries are sending “mercenaries” to fight in Ukraine, where there are fears of a Russian invasion.

Moscow-based news agency Russia Today quoted Lavrov on Friday as saying that they are working to verify information about “mercenaries” from Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia going to Ukraine.

“Kosovo and some other parts of the Western Balkans are becoming a hotbed of crime. There are terrorists, drug dealers. Mercenaries are recruited there for military conflicts ignited by the US, among others,” Lavrov said.

“There is information that militants from Kosovo, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina are being recruited to knock Russia off balance, which includes sending them to Donbass [in eastern Ukraine],” he added.

In all three Balkan countries, Lavrov’s comments baffled and outraged officials.

Read more ...

 

[Tshering22]

Muslims on both sides of the conflict. This is really interesting. On one side you have Russian Chechens fighting for Russia, Pakistanis & Bangladeshis batting here for Russia, etc., while on the other side, there are Albanian and Kosovar Muslims fighting on Ukraine + NATO's side.

 

[FuturePAF]

Muslims on both sides of the conflict. This is really interesting. On one side you have Russian Chechens fighting for Russia, Pakistanis & Bangladeshis batting here for Russia, etc., while on the other side, there are Albanian and Kosovar Muslims fighting on Ukraine + NATO's side.

Wouldn’t be surprised if there were Serb Mercenaries fighting for Russia as well.

The legacy of conflicts is many former combatants know only this skill set if their countries don’t fully get back on the development track.

The Free companies of Europe in the Middle Ages are a prime example.

 

[Tshering22]

Wouldn’t be surprised if there were Serb Mercenaries fighting for Russia as well.

That makes sense. Serbia and Russia are close partners. Russia is the only European country that supports Serbia politically.

But Albanian & Kosovar Muslims fighting and killing Chechen-Russians who are Muslims as well and vice versa is weird.

 

[FuturePAF]

That makes sense. Serbia and Russia are close partners. Russia is the only European country that supports Serbia politically.

But Albanian & Kosovar Muslims fighting and killing Chechen-Russians who are Muslims as well and vice versa is weird.

You know the saying about strange bedfellows. An enemy of an enemy and so on.