This story was originally published by Sbunker as part of the regional initiative Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub. An edited version is republished by Global Voices with permission. Long before the conflict in Ukraine escalated into a full-scale war by Russia, tensions existed in the Western Balkans, as did Russia's interest in the Western Balkans remaining a troubled area within Europe and being used as a threat, whenever deemed useful to its interests. Not more than six years ago, the involvement of the Russian secret service in a failed coup in Montenegro was confirmed. This was at a time when Montenegro was concluding the procedures for NATO membership and this certainly did not suit Russia. Ever closer relations were also seen between the Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia, Nikola Gruevski, and Russian President Vladimir Putin — relations that clearly hindered the progress of the Macedonian state towards NATO membership. On the other hand, the close relations that the representative of the Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik cultivated with President Putin gave a clear signal of Russia's motives and interests in this part of Europe. And finally, sustaining tense relations between Kosovo and Serbia, turns out to be a well-thought-out strategy of the Russian Federation to cement its influence in the region. Aware of an increased Russian interest in the Balkans, Kosovo has been committed and has taken appropriate action to thwart any destabilizing efforts in the country. In this sense, last year, the Government of Kosovo declared non-grata two Russian diplomats who operated in Kosovo, on the grounds that they posed a threat to the national security of Kosovo. However, after the Russian attack on Ukraine, the alarm was raised about the possibility of escalating the conflict in the Western Balkans because of the unresolved issue between Kosovo and Serbia and the fragile political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, despite increased attention in Ukraine, the US and the EU rebalanced their focus on the Western Balkans. A senior US delegation visited the region, where the main demand was to end the “status quo” between Kosovo and Serbia. On the other hand, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the EU has been more vocal in calling for Serbia to side with the West in imposing sanctions on Russia. Two attacks on police in northern Kosovo in April, which it is not clear who carried them out, but which the Kosovo government has described as an attempt to destabilize from the outside, brought back mutual accusations between the parties. Although the case is under investigation, the Kosovo government described it as a terrorist attack, claiming that bullets fired at police vehicles were fired from Serbian territory. Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Sveçla and Police Director Samedin Mehmeti said in a joint press conference that the border police officers were attacked for three days in a row, during the shifts at the border point with Serbia- Jarinje. According to Svecla, the first attempted attack was carried out by placing metal hedgehogs on the national road, “in order to disable the work of the Kosovo Police and at the same time endanger the lives of police officers.” In the second attack, stones were thrown at the Kosovo Police. The third attack was carried out with firearms near the checkpoint set up in order to prevent the use of illegal roads. Albanian and Serb police officers were traveling in the police vehicle. In a public appearance, Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla stated that: “The serious commitment of the institutions of Kosovo, especially the Kosovo Police, to establish order and law in every corner of Kosovo, has become an obstacle for Serbia, for certain groups, which are directly supported by Serbia and it truly thwarts the plans of all those who have seen Kosovo as a potential cradle for their criminal activities and as a continuation of other crises.” Regarding the non-publication of the attacks earlier, the minister has reasoned that they have left time for the police to find out the causes. But, after the attack in which the lives of police officers were directly endangered, as the Minister of Interior put it, there were assessments by the security organs that it was a terrorist attack and the information was shared with the public in order to prevent any kind of misinformation. Despite reaching some agreements in the past that also deal with the security aspect in the north, they have not contributed to maintaining calm. In some cases, Kosovo's own officials have reiterated that Serbia continues to keep the parallel structures in the north alive, aiming to create tensions whenever Belgrade demands it.