Moscow "used Kosovo to legitimize Crimea move"

Moscow "used Kosovo to legitimize Crimea move"

According to this, "Moscow especially uses elements of reinterpreting history, humanitarian and ethnic factors" - and also, of "reinterpreting the actions of the West in the Balkans."

In the paper, dubbed, "Continuity and changes in instrumentalization of precedents: How Russia uses Kosovo to legitimize annexation of Crimea" - researchers Vasile Rotar and Miruna Troncota deal with "instrumentalization of the 'Kosovo's precedent' by Russia" to conclude that "extralegal arguments have been instrumentalized in building the precedent of Kosovo in the Russian foreign policy."

The Romanian experts, as quoted by Beta, state that their conclusions have "confirmed the initial assumption - that the main Russian political narrative was to legitimize the annexation of Crimea built around the instrumentalization of that precedent based on 'elastic' characteristics: changing international norms, reinterpretation of history, and referring to the West."

In Russia, elements of such a practice have been used to connect Russian actions with the practice of the West, and as lessons learned from the practice of the international community in Kosovo, it is further stated.

"Legal ambiguity" over "controversial principles of self-determination and humanitarian intervention" have also been used, as well as "controversial attempts to redraw borders on the basis of a reinterpretation of history."