Dynamics of the ever growing developments in Eastern Europe, as characterized by conflicts on ethnic ground, is difficult to comprehend without investigation of the environment in which they originate. There is no doubt that the armed conflicts in Kosovo and in Chechnya became major destabilizing factors for regional security in the European continent, and their subsequent attempted settlement failed to bring expected results, which “froze” the situation, but didn’t ease the tension in the Balkans and in the Caucasus. Both these conflicts are, on the one hand, different, but, on the other, they have much in common in many respects. Analyzing the trajectories of these two conflicts’ development, the author tries to grasp the origins of the conflict situations. Through demographic, historical, political and other aspects of the Kosovo and Chechnya problems the author makes an attempt to reveal the nature of these conflicts, as well as to point out the lacunae which impede arrangement of the peace process.