UNITED NATIONS, May 31. /TASS/. The United Nations stands against stripping Russian diplomat Mikhail Krasnoshchekov, a staffer of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), off diplomatic immunity as the doctrine of persona non-grate cannot be applicable to UN personnel, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Farhan Haq said on Friday, commenting on Kosovo’s decision to declare him persona non-grata and take him to court.

"We note that the doctrine of persona non-grata does not apply to, or in respect of, United Nations personnel. The doctrine applies to diplomatic agents who are accredited by one state to another in the context of their bilateral relations," he said. "The United Nations is not a state and its personnel are not accredited to the states where they are deployed but work under the sole responsibility of the Secretary-General."

"We stand by immunity of our personnel who is on duty. We’ve done so in this case," he pledged.

Kosovo’s leaders claimed the Russian diplomat was trying to hamper the police operation. On Wednesday, Kosovo prosecutor general’s office said it planned to demand the Russian diplomat be stripped of diplomatic immunity and be faced with criminal charges.

In the morning of May 28, unrecognized Kosovo’s police intruded into the northern municipalities of Kosovo and Metohija. Two Serbs were slightly injured in shootouts. Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said Kosovo’s police had detained 28 people, including Russian national Mikhail Krasnoshchekov, a staffer of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). During the detention Krasnoshchekov suffered serious head and facial injuries and was taken to a hospital in Kosovska Mitroivica. Now he is receiving treatment at the Military Medical Academy in Belgrade.