MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. Russia is outraged by the indifference of Western capitals, whose inaction encourages ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, where the "authorities" are ready to repress the Serb population at the first opportunity, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"We are outraged by the apathy of Western capitals, whose de facto inaction encourages ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. It is difficult to assess otherwise the recent decision by the Kosovo Force (KFOR) command to scale back the presence of its units at particularly vulnerable points of Serb-Albanian contact - the bridge across the Ibar River in Kosovska Mitrovica and around the Visoki Decani Orthodox monastery. KFOR personnel there have been partly replaced by Pristina's 'police,' which threatens to increase interethnic tensions," Zakharova said.

According to her, "attempts to justify this step by claiming that the security situation in the province has improved are cynical and irresponsible." "It is obvious that Kosovo 'police' will under no circumstances protect the Serbs and will use their entire arsenal of repressive measures against them at the first opportunity," she concluded.