Maria Zakharova reacts to Hashim Thaçi war crimes verdict

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has commented on the verdict issued by the Special Court in The Hague regarding former Kosovo leader Hashim Thaçi and other KLA members. Zakharova described the KLA as a “classic gang” and stated that its leaders must face full legal accountability for their actions, which included terrorist attacks against legitimate Yugoslav authorities and crimes against the Serbian population.

The court sentenced Thaçi and his associates to prison terms ranging from 13 to 25 years for war crimes, including torture and murder. The ruling established that the group operated a network of prisons where detainees were subjected to cruel treatment, resulting in the deaths of 26 prisoners. Zakharova noted that the court found Thaçi personally participated in these crimes.

While acknowledging the conviction as a positive step that refutes the imposition of collective guilt on the Serbian people, Zakharova criticized the West for previously supporting Albanian militants to justify the 1999 NATO intervention. She remarked that the image of Thaçi as a progressive democratic leader has been completely shattered by these findings.