Kremlin backs Serbia, denies Russia is stoking tension in Kosovo

Serbs in the ethnically divided city of Mitrovica in northern Kosovo erected new barricades on Tuesday, hours after Serbia said it had put its army on the highest combat alert following weeks of escalating tensions.

Albanian-majority Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 with the backing of the West, following a 1998-1999 war in which Nato intervened to protect ethnic Albanian citizens.

Asked about Kosovan Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla's claim that Serbia, under the influence of Russia, was aiming to destabilize Kosovo by supporting the Serb minority, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "wrong" to search for a destructive Russian influence.

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

"Serbia is a sovereign country, and naturally, it protects the rights of Serbs who live nearby in such difficult conditions, and naturally reacts harshly when these rights are violated."

Serbia denies it is trying to destabilize its neighbour and says it just wants to protect its minority there. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Tuesday that Serbia would "continue to fight for peace and seek compromise solutions."

Around 50,000 Serbs live in the northern part of Kosovo and refuse to recognize the Pristina government or the state. They see Belgrade as their capital.

The Kremlin said it supported Belgrade.

"Having very close allied relations, historical and spiritual relations with Serbia, Russia is very closely monitoring what is happening, how the rights of Serbs are respected and ensured," Peskov said. "And, of course, we support Belgrade in the actions that are being taken."

Kosovo political analyst and local activist said the key to solving the situation in northern Kosovo was in the international community.

Speaking to Reuters on the main street of north Mitrovica, mainly populated by Kosovo Serbs, political analyst and Executive Director of NGO AKTIV, Miodrag Milicevic said he was bothered by the silence of the international community.

"The long duration of this entire crisis which indeed threatens to escalate (it)," Milicevic said.

Tensions between Belgrade and Pristina have been running high since last month when representatives of ethnic Serbs in the north of Kosovo left state institutions including the police and judiciary over the Kosovo government's decision to replace Serbian-issued car licence plates.

On Wednesday, Kosovo closed its biggest border crossing with Serbia after protesters blocked it on the Serbian side to support their ethnic kin in Kosovo in refusing to recognise the country's independence.

Some Mitrovica residents blamed Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti for the current escalation, saying he was not willing to compromise.

The roadblocks erected by Serbs in northern Kosovo stayed in place on Wednesday despite the calls from the international community to have barricades along and near the Kosovo-Serbia border removed.

Since December 10, Kosovo Serbs in the northern part of the country have exchanged fire with police and erected more than 10 roadblocks in and around Mitrovica. Their action followed the arrest of a former Serb policeman accused of assaulting serving police officers.

German foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday Germany was concerned about tensions between Serbia and Kosovo and was focused on efforts to remove border barricades.

Nato's mission in Kosovo, Kfor, on Wednesday said it supported dialogue between all parties to defuse tensions in the north of the country.