Russia holds drills in occupied Tskhinvali
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The Russian 58th army is conducting drills in Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, with the involvement of local "operative groups and divisions”, Russian and Tskhinvali media reports.
The drills which kicked off on April 2 involve 2,000 soldiers. In addition to Georgian territory, Russia uses
a military base located in North Ossetia for the drills.
The government of Georgia and the international community categorically condemn such illegal activities on the territory of Georgia and urge Russia to withdraw its forces from Georgia’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
Russia recognized Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent countries in the wake of the Russia-Georgia 2008 war. The position was only shared by Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru.
Georgia is condemning the mass military drills initiated by Russia in the north Caucasus, in Crimea, in military bases in Armenia and in Georgia’s occupied regions and say the exercises are provocative and a "threat that has the potential to destabilize the region”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia is calling on the international community to adequately assess Russia’s military trainings on Georgia breakaway territory of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and Abkhazia. More than 2,000 troops are currently participating in military trainings on Georgia’s two occupied territories.
"Georgia is an independent and sovereign state, which has the right to hold any kind of training on its territory,” Georgia’s Foreign Ministry says.
Russia is dissatisfied that Georgia and the United States (US) are getting ready to conduct joint military exercises in Georgia.
Foreign Minister Janelidze plans to use high level meetings in the US to discuss human rights violations in the Russia-controlled breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Russia’s 4th Infantry Brigade is conducting military drills in Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
The exercises are being conducted in Volgograd, Rostov, Stavropol, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Ossetia, Crimea, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Armenia.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze says that the increased militarisation of the two occupied regions of Georgia Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) by Russia is alarming and Georgia is in need of the support of the international community.
The de facto security agency of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region says that “a large amount of weapons, ammunition and explosives” have been seized from illegal arms traffickers in the first half of the year.
Russia is conducting military exercises in Georgia’s occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, Russian media outlets report.
Tank units from the fourth Russian military base are taking part in military exercises in the Russian occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, Radio Liberty Georgian service reports. 30 tank units participated in the drills which involved the destruction of moving targets. A total of four bilateral battalions and one regiment are conducting tactical exercises in the Stavropol Krai, Rostov region, the Chechen Republic, the Volgograd region and the Crimea.