Russian Citizens Detained in Pankisi

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, August 2, 2002) – Georgian law enforcers detained three Russian citizens, allegedly employees of Russian Military of Internal Affairs, Georgian State Security Ministry reports on August 2.

At the special news briefing Georgia State Security Minister Valeri Khaburdzania said that Russian citizens were detained on July 31 in Duisi village, in the center of Pankisi gorge.

According to Khaburdzania detainees said that they intended to buy a car in Pankisi. “This sounds very strange, because the Russian side should know the situation in Pankisi and the fact of appearance employees of Russian Interior Ministry for buying a car raises questions,” Khaburdzania said.

The Security Minister said he does not rule out that detainees’ documents could be faked and they might not be the employees of the Russian Interior Ministry.

According to Khaburdzania Russian citizens get to Pankisi from Krasnodar region of Russian Federation, via Tskhinvali, breakaway region of Georgia.