Russia advances near Krasny Liman

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Western nations of applying double standards in international recognition, comparing Kosovo's independence to Crimea's annexation. He stated that the West used the principle of self-determination to recognize Kosovo's independence despite the absence of a referendum or international observers. Lavrov contrasted this with the West's rejection of Crimea's 2014 referendum, which Moscow used to justify annexing the peninsula from Ukraine. His remarks reinforce Russia's longstanding narrative that Western actions in Kosovo set a precedent for Crimea.