Further reaction has emerged from the Russian Armed Forces in response to the recent claims made by Georgia that two Russian Air Force fighter jets recently both contravened its airspace, and dropped ordnance of some kind close to the capital of Tbilisi. As per news agency Itar-Tass, the Chief of Staff within the Russian Military has now labelled the accusation as “a provocation against Russia”. Yuri Baluyevsky, the chief in question, added to this: "I am convinced that this is a provocation on the part of Georgia ... it is a provocation against Russian peacekeepers and Russia as a whole."

As covered in a recent Armed Forces International News Item, it was claimed that the missile, or bomb, was fired/dropped on Monday 6^th August 2007 at around 7.30 PM. The weapon did not explode on impact.

A parallel was drawn by Baluyevsky, in which he linked the future of Kosovo, the infamous Serbian province, with two regions within Georgia – South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Both of these are, at present, looking to be recognised internationally as independent states. Itar-Tass quoted him as saying, in this respect: "Georgia at the moment is in a state of confusion, because if the Kosovo problem is settled by giving Kosovo sovereignty, then Georgia could lose Abkhazia and South Ossetia."

In the immediate aftermath of Monday’s alleged action by the Russian Air Force, Tbilisi itself called it “an act of aggression”. On the 8^th August, Georgia appealed to the United Nations for an emergency meeting with its Security Council.

Russia itself continues to deny any involvement whatsoever with the incident. Going further, claims have now arisen from officials there that, in fact, Georgia may have falsified the situation and deliberately targeted itself, in order to create tensions with Moscow.

Armed Forces International will provide future updates on this edgy and, potentially highly politically charged situation as more facts become known.

Source – Armed Forces International’s East European Correspondent

Recent related News Item:

Claimed:Russian Bomb/Missile Dropped on Georgia