Colonel Nick Ducich, an American of Serb ancestry, is the new commander of the US base Bondsteel in Kosovo, and of KFOR Multinational Battle Group East.

RTS is reporting this on Tuesday, citing Kosovo-based media.

"I am the first US officer of Serbian ancestry to command the Multinational Battle Group East. The role of KFOR remains unchanged, contribution to a safe and secure environment for all," Ducich is quoted as saying.

The US officer took over the command of the base from Colonel Michael Spraggins.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Ducich graduated from the US Army War College and received a master's degree in the field of nuclear engineering from the University of Maryland.

He was also involved in a training project aimed at allowing Ukraine's army to reach NATO interoperability by 2020.

Judging by the officer's photographs on the internet, he was also posted in Iraq in 2011 and 2012.