GEORGIA: Georgia says Russian helicopters attacked village in disputed gorge, Moscow denies attack

Record ID: 352598

  • Title: GEORGIA: Georgia says Russian helicopters attacked village in disputed gorge, Moscow denies attack
  • Date: 13th March 2007
  • Summary: (CEEF) KODORI GORGE, GEORGIA (FILE) (REUTERS) VIEW OF MOUNTAINS FROM PLANE VIEW OF PLANE FLYING PLANE ON GROUND GEORGIAN SOLDIERS UNLOADING CARGO FROM PLANE POLICE STATION MOUNTAINS WOODEN HOUSES TRUCK DRIVING ALONG STREET
  • Embargoed: 28th March 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Georgia
  • Country: Georgia
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVADRQFNESK6NTZ3OUNQWOZBNVSZ
  • Story Text: Georgia said on Monday (March 12) three Russian helicopters had attacked a disputed gorge under Georgian control in the breakaway region of Abkhazia, an incident likely to worsen tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi.
    Russia's air force denied the reports.
    Moscow-backed separatists rule most of Abkhazia, which broke away from Georgia in a war that killed thousands in the 1990s, but their government is not recognised internationally.
    The Kodori gorge has long been a flashpoint for tension. Its upper part is occupied by Georgian security forces and a local pro-Georgian administration while the lower part is controlled by Abkhazian separatists.
    Russian helicopters late on Sunday (March 11) fired on the upper Kodori gorge, the de facto border between Abkhazia and Georgia, for as much as 30 minutes.
    "According to our information, a helicopter flew from Russian territory and fired shots (at a Georgian settlement)," said Georgian deputy defence minister Levan Nikoleishvili.
    Russia's air force called the Georgian announcement a "provocative act", RIA news agency reported.
    A source in the pro-Tbilisi administration in the gorge said two villages were also attacked with rockets from Abkhazia.
    "Due to this incident in Upper Abkhazia, the Georgian military has been placed on high alert, including the air force which has made helicopter flights. The helicopter that crashed was fulfilling its duty, but due to bad weather conditions it crashed."
    The crash killed three servicemen.
    Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili plans to return early from Kazakhstan, where he made a stopover after an official visit to Japan, his press service said.
    Besides Russia's support for separatists is Georgia, relations between Tbilisi and former Soviet master Moscow have been severely strained by the arrest of accused Russian spies in September, and Russia's current economic blockade.
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