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In October 2009, Dmitry Medvedev said that Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence and the consequences "have confirmed the inadequacy of attempts to adjust the solution of complex international problems to considerations of notorious political expediency." The Russian president said, "We consider it unacceptable to do what was done in the Kosovo precedent – to use the lack of progress at negotiations as the reason for unilateral actions, including recognition of new international legal entities." He said that comparison between Kosovo and South Ossetia was unacceptable. He said, "We are categorically against drawing incorrect parallels between the Balkan events and the events in the Caucasus. As concerns South Ossetia – it's our unambiguous, absolutely clear position – it about repelling direct military aggression. And what was done by Russia after that, was done in full accordance with the UN Charter."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vesti.ru/article/2252548 |script-title=ru:Медведев: Россия против проведения параллелей между событиями на Балканах и на Кавказе |publisher=Vesti |date=20 October 2009 |language=ru}}</ref>
=== Various arguments ===
When asked about UN resolutions that supported Georgia's territorial integrity, [[Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations]] [[Vitaly Churkin]] claimed, "Their use of force against South Ossetia clearly dashed all those previous resolutions and created a completely new reality."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voanews.com/content/a-13-2008-08-27-voa2/400393.html |title=Russia Defends Recognition of South Ossetia; Abkhazia |date=1 November 2009 |publisher=Voice of America}}</ref> However, France's deputy UN ambassador [[:sv:Jean-Pierre Lacroix|Jean-Pierre Lacroix]] argued that "there is no way you can “dash” or “cancel” or whatever “terminate” a resolution of the Security Council by force."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/Georgia%20Sarkozy%20Letter.pdf |title=Stake out de Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Chargé d’affaires a.i. Géorgie |date=26 August 2008 |publisher=Security Council Report}}</ref>
Following the Russian recognition of South Ossetia, Swedish [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)|Minister for Foreign Affairs]] [[Carl Bildt]] stated, "South Ossetian independence is a joke. We are talking about a smugglers' paradise of 60,000 people financed by the Russian security services. No one can seriously consider that as an independent state."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/7a311a18-7497-11dd-bc91-0000779fd18c.html |title=Kremlin warned decision could backfire |date=28 August 2008 |author1=John Thornhill |author2=David Ibison |newspaper=Financial Times |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150507144721/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7a311a18-7497-11dd-bc91-0000779fd18c.html%23axzz3ZSqQlilD |archive-date=7 May 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Latvian newspaper ''[[Diena]]'' on 28 August 2008 argued that Medvedev's decree citing Kosov was "a blow below the belt" for Russia's ally Serbia because "that means that Russia has indirectly admitted that Kosovo's departure from Serbia was lawful."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/international/1536309/latvian_commentary_says_recognition_of_abkhazia_s_ossetia_hurts_russia/ |title=Latvian Commentary Says Recognition of Abkhazia, S Ossetia Hurts Russia |author=Sam Savage |publisher=redOrbit |date=28 August 2008}}</ref>
Member of the Russian [[State Duma]] [[Konstantin Zatulin]] declared on the third anniversary of the recognition that the Russian recognition of South Ossetia's independence was enough and South Ossetia would not gain new prospects by being recognized by more countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://regnum.ru/news/polit/1437983.html |script-title=ru:Признание других стран не добавит Южной Осетии еще возможностей: Затулин |publisher=Regnum |date=26 August 2011 |language=ru}}</ref>
[[Andrey Illarionov]], former advisor to [[Vladimir Putin]], argued that recognition of Abkhazia will legitimize the [[Ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Abkhazia|ethnic cleansing]] and [[Crime of apartheid|apartheid]]. He also cited several dissimilarities between Kosovo and Abkhazia as the reasons why Abkhazia should not be granted recognition. In Kosovo, the opponents of separation committed the ethnic cleansing, unlike Abkhazia where the separatists were responsible for the ethnic cleansing. Illarionov noted that "the right of return of refugees to Kosovo was a precondition for self-determination; in Abkhazia, the so-called self-determination is linked with the refusal to allow the return of internally displaced people." In Abkhazia, it was Abkhaz separatists who rejected peace plans; while in case of Kosovo, it was Serbia that thwarted peace process. Kosovo was ruled by U.N. administration before the declaration of independence; while Abkhazia does not admit international organizations.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/09/16/abkhazias_independence_farce |title=Abkhazia's Independence Farce |author=Andrei Illarionov |magazine=Foreign Policy |date=16 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714191110/http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/09/16/abkhazias_independence_farce |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
In April 2014, it was suggested that Russia was more humiliated by [[Tuvalu]]'s withdrawal of recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia than by international sanctions for Crimea, since this "decision could spell the end of a years-long diplomatic strategy that has cost Russia millions."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newrepublic.com/article/117238/tuvalu-bruises-russia-establishing-diplomatic-ties-georgia |title=This Tiny Pacific Island Nation Just Gave Russia a Big Bruise |date=2 April 2014 |author=Oliver Bullough |publisher=New Republic}}</ref>
[[Stephen F. Jones]] argued that while South Ossetia was seeking to join Russia, "the complicated political realities of the South Caucasus make this an unlikely prospect." The South Ossetian court's decision to strip [[Alla Dzhioyeva]] of her victory in the 2012 presidential elections "illustrated the region's limited political autonomy, underlined by the intimidating and unchallengeable presence of the Russian military," and demonstrated that South Ossetia was "not a real state, but a Russian vassal." Russia administers South Ossetia's borders. There is no South Ossetian foreign policy and no functions of a state. There is little popular support for South Ossetia's independence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/stephen-f-jones/south-ossetia%E2%80%99s-unwanted-independence |title=South Ossetia’s unwanted independence |date=10 June 2014 |author=Stephen F. Jones |publisher=openDemocracy}}</ref>
=== Other events ===
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