Georgia-Russia Tensions Escalate
The BBC reports that tensions between Georgia and Russia are escalating with the latter alleging that the former is amassing troops in the Kodori Gorge in preparation for an invasion of the breakaway territory of Abkhazia. Georgia denies the claims, but Russia warns that it will retaliate if military action against Abkhaz rebels is taken. The increased tensions follows last week’s downing of a Georgian drone allegedly by a Russian MiG-29.
A statement from the Russian foreign ministry said that “a bridgehead is being prepared for the start of military operations against Abkhazia”.
In response, it said, it was increasing Russian peacekeepers in both Abkhazia and Georgia’s other breakaway region of South Ossetia.
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“We think that this step, if they take it, will cause extreme destabilisation in the region,” said Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze.
“From now on, we consider every [Russian] soldier or any unit of military equipment coming in [to Abkhazia and South Ossetia] as illegal, potential aggressors and potential generators of destabilisation.”
After meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana called on Russia to show restraint.
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