Kosovo marks anniversary of independence with military parade

Record ID: 2341828

  • Title: Kosovo marks anniversary of independence with military parade
  • Date: 17th February 2026
  • Summary: PRISTINA, KOSOVO (FEBRUARY 17, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TROOPS MARCHING IN PARADE SPECTATORS WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) KOSOVO PRIME MINISTER, ALBIN KURTI, SAYING: "Today's parade is not a show of force against anyone. It is proof of the modernization and maturity of our state, of our ability to defend ourselves, and to contribute to regional and global peace." VARI
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Balkan Wars Balkans Serbia Yugoslavia independence parade
  • Location: PRISTINA, KOSOVO
  • City: PRISTINA, KOSOVO
  • Country: Kosovo
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001628517022026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Kosovo marked 18 years of independence on Tuesday (February 17) with a military parade in the capital, Pristina.
    Despite the size of the parade featuring troops marching with modern military equipment and armoured vehicles, Prime Minister Albin Kurti took care to emphasize it was "not a show of force."
    Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February 2008 after bloody war in the 1990s and almost a decade under transitional UN administration, backed by tens of thousands of NATO peacekeeping troops.
    Its statehood has been recognised by over 100 U.N. member states, including the United States and 22 EU countries, but not Serbia, Russia, or China.
    (Production: Fatos Bytyci, Thomas Holdstock)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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