Russian envoy to NATO has said that Kosovo's split from Serbia was the result of an imperialistic American effort to 'divide and rule'.

Dmitry Rogozin reiterated Russia's warning that Western recognition of Kosovo could encourage separatism worldwide.

"Who benefits from this? Only those who prefer to divide and rule - the old imperial principle. This is first of all the United States of America," Rogozin said on state-run Vesti-24 television.

He added that by recognizing Kosovo without UN approval, Western nations were replacing international law with a system in which "there will be only one rule: he who has brute physical power is strong and is right."

However, Rogozin ruled out using force to solve crisis.

The former Russian lawmaker also alleged that Kosovo's independence declaration was supported by a powerful narcotics mafia.

He said there were "shadowy structures that stand behind Kosovo's independence. This is first of all a 'narcomafia' that long ago turned Kosovo into ... a gigantic laboratory for the production of heroin and cocaine for all the countries of Europe."